Coffee Break
by TigerTerror
Summary: I was wondering why Kai drinks coffee so much in fanfictions, and lookie what happened! :P Charaters might be a little OOC, sometimes I can't tell... Not a OneShot anymore! Finished! 0o
1. Nightmare

TT: I noticed that lots of people have Kai drinking coffee in fanfictions...  
  
Kai: Oh no...  
  
TT: *ignores Kai* So I started wondering why Kai drinks coffee- and came up with this!  
  
Kai: What did I ever do to you?  
  
TT: You didn't give me a B-Day present! *sticks her tongue out at him* Anyway, a slight warning- Kai may be slightly OOC in this, its kinda hard to tell when your the author...  
  
Kai: ...Thank the Lord she doesn't own BeyBlade! ...   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It was quiet, and lady moon watched through the window as the group of boys sleep. One lay, half hanging off his bed, mouth open as he snored, while his companions donned less extreme positions. Each, at first glance, held a look of content and tranquility on his face.  
  
But if you were to glance again, you would notice the one farthest away from the others- the snoring in particular- one would notice the slight, almost desperate expression that seemed to cross his features every moment.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Garnet eyes went wide with fear as the child looked up at the man. A whimper rose at the back of his throat, but he forced it down roughly.  
  
The man in front of him looked down, his eyes ablaze in what the youngest could only assume was hatred.  
  
A large, this hand made its way around the two-toned haired boy's throat, roughly lifting him from the ground.  
  
A choked sob of pure desperation made its way out of the child's throat- despite how he tried to stop it. He braced himself as disgust crossed the man's face and he was roughly flung into a wall.  
  
Slumping to the ground, the young Kai forced himself to stand up, it would be worse not to. He swayed slightly, but ignored to feeling.  
  
Footsteps, the man- he refused to think of him as his grandfather- was walking over to him. Forcing his garnet eyes to focus, he looked up, his gaze resting on the face of Voltaire. He felt tears of pure desperation for behind his eyes and he hastily lowered his gaze.  
  
Too late, watched as a hand gripped into a fist and was lifted, making contact with Kai's cheek. He fell to the floor, his cheek already bruising with the impact of the blow. A harsh voice cut through the pounding of his heart in his ears, "You are a Hiwatari! You do not cry like some little girl, you are strong, emotionless! Do you understand me?!" The last comment was emphasized with a swift kick in the ribs, causing Kai to cry into a fetal position, biting back the whimper that threatened to escape.  
  
There was a slight sound of disgust above him, "Pathetic." Another, harder kick in the ribs- this time a cracking sound filled the air, as a rib was broken.  
  
As Kai was overwhelmed with pain, footsteps echoed as his so-called 'grandfather' left the room, leaving him alone. Kai allowed some of the thousands of tears escape his eyes.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The sleeping teen's expression was blank, giving away nothing of his inner turmoil. If anything, he looked annoyed about something.  
  
Even in his sleep, the mask he had created was still in place.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
One statement, repeated over and over again until it became a simple droning- recited without even being aware of what was said. The statement etched into their minds as they trained, repeating a same move over and over again until it became little more than an impulse. Until it was as if the single statement had brainwashed them.  
  
Russia, home of icy weather, frozen lands. But also home to a place of frozen hearts, birthplace of so many cold and emotionless warriors- or beybattlers if you wished to call them that.  
  
Deep within Russian borders, a place of nightmares, events that few would ever even hear about. Events impossible to believe unless you were one of the unlucky few to witness them. Perhaps that was why he had blocked them out so long.  
  
Ever looming in his subconscious, a nightmare he couldn't get rid of, was The Abby.  
  
The endless chanting blocked out after years of being used to it, young Kai stared up at the masked man in front of him- someone he had come to fear long ago. Not that he let _him_ have the satisfaction of knowing that.  
  
Boris...  
  
The man held a whip expertly in his hand, the youngster tensed as he braced himself- expecting a punishment.  
  
He did not expect the scene to change.  
  
Instead of Boris, he was looking over at a BeyStadium. A dark, yet powerful force residing in his hand.  
  
He wanted to stop himself- he tried to stop himself- but Kai had no control over his nightmare. He could only watch, helpless, as the scene from long ago replayed. The blade was launched, and a power unlike any he'd ever felt made itself know.  
  
Kai had been taught to embrace power, but this was different. It was dark, evil, instead of him embracing the power- it tried to embrace it, take control of the one who could give _it_ so much strength. Strength to fight, destroy, to kill.  
  
Kai resisted, the child didn't understand what was happening, but he knew it was bad somehow. Infuriated and impatient, the blade took on Kai's power anyhow, and began to task it delighted in.  
  
Kai could only watch helplessly as people began to scream and the Abbey was demolished before his eyes.  
  
And somewhere inside his mind, he knew it was all his fault.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Eyes opened with a start, reveling the emotions and memories haunting him until he banished the emotions from his eyes. Expressionless, he got up. Silent, so as not to disturb the others, he left.  
  
He refused to go back to sleep tonight.  
  
Outside of the bedroom- with Tyson's snores muffled, it was silent. Silent as a tomb… Kai stopped the thought there- they haunted his sleep- there was no need for such thoughts to haunt his waking hours as well.  
  
Wandering into the kitchen, he fiddled with appliance and slumped at the kitchen table as he waited, willing himself to stay awake. A single thought entered his tired mind, 'Will that coffee maker hurry up?!'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ray wandered sleepily into the kitchen about an hour later. He'd just get something to drink- milk maybe- and go back to bed...  
  
He didn't expect to see his team captain downing a cup of coffee at the kitchen table. A half-filled pot of coffee was sitting on the counter behind him.  
  
"Kai?" Both his mind and voice were slow with sleep, "What are you doing up?" The blader stood, confused, in the doorway.  
  
"Drinking coffee." The duo-colour haired blader answered simply as he walked over to the coffee maker, pouring himself another cup. As far as Kai could see, he'd been given a choice- sleep yet be haunted by nightmares of the past that threatened to overwhelm his sanity, or become an insomniac.  
  
To him, the latter sounded a better choice.  
  
Ray, however, didn't know this. He just blinked and walked into the kitchen, "You'll not going to be able to sleep tonight." He warned the other blader, who just smirked.  
  
"Just pass the sugar." 


	2. Exhaustion

TT: Wow, you really liked the oneshot!! ^^  
  
Kai: SO why are we still here?  
  
TT: Because the _wonderful_ reviewers asked for me to continue!  
  
Kai: ...Suck up...  
  
TT: Oh, shut up. And if people review, I'll continue.  
  
Kai: Do you even know where this is going?  
  
TT: Nope! ^^;;  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned beyblade, a lot of great fanfiction I've read would be a part of the series!  
  
***  
  
"Come on... Come on..." Kai urged, staring at the coffee maker, his head slumped on his arms, which were resting on the table. "How long does it take to make a stupid pot of coffee?!" Needless to say, after three days without sleep, Kai was very moody.  
  
Kai glanced at the clock, 1:30 am. His third night without a decent nights sleep, and Kai was considering giving up sleeping all together. He'd gone to bed the night before, only to wake up after another nightmare after a mere half hour.  
  
Kai lifted his head as the coffee maker made a sound to indicate it had finished, "Finally!" Kai poured himself a cup, and immediately drank it in one gulp. Forget the sugar and milk- he needed caffeine as soon as possible.  
  
Kai poured himself another cup...  
  
***  
  
Eyelids drooped with exhaustion, before immediately snapping open again. Inwardly reproaching himself, Kai retrieved Dranzer and launched the blade again. He watched carefully as it hit the dish, willing himself to stay awake.  
  
But... It was so tempting, just to let sleep overtake him. The nightmares that plagued his subconscious were little more than a faint memory in his weary mind.  
  
Kai made his heavy eyes open again, and he watched as Dranzer spun around in the dish. It was hard to focus, the spinning blade becoming little more than a soft blur as his eyes defocused.  
  
Holding out his hand, Kai allowed the beyblade to return to his hand. He turned to leave. He could continue training after he had some more of that blessed liquid that kept him going in his fatigue.  
  
From the sounds coming from the kitchen, Ray, Tyson, Max and Kenny were all up too...  
  
He could only form one thought in his overtired mind, 'Yeah, I really need some coffee...'  
  
***  
  
"Oh look, the sourpuss has come to join the rest of us for breakfast."  
  
Kai ignored Tyson's voice. 'You can argue later... First, you must wake up.'  
  
"Hey Kai, want some pancakes?" The two-tone haired blader almost winched at the impossible cheerfulness displayed so early in the morning.  
  
"Not hungry." He managed to mumble, staring unblinkingly at the coffee maker. How long did it take to make a blasted cup of coffee?!  
  
"Are you okay Kai? You look like you haven't slept in days."   
  
"I'm fine. Mind your own business." Kai poured the coffee into a mug, downing it gratefully.  
  
"Gee, somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed..." Kai ignored Tyson, drinking a second cup and debating whether to have a third. Out of the corner of a garnet coloured eye, he noticed Ray watching him suspiciously.  
  
With a well-aimed glare, Kai walked towards the door, pausing for only a moment, "Training starts in 10 minutes." And left.  
  
"Wha- TEN MINUTES?! How am I supposed to have breakfast in 10 MINUTES?!"  
  
Smirking slightly, Kai walked out to the blading dish. He launched his blade and watched it fly across the dish. Then, all at once, he was unable to suppress a weary yawn.  
  
His eyes drooped slightly as he watched his blade, He spoke quietly to himself, but it came out a mere mumble. "I'm not sure how long I can keep this up..."  
  
***  
  
That night, Kai sat outside on the balcony, staring up at the moon, but not really seeing it.  
  
It was becoming more and more difficult to keep the act up. No matter how many times he said he was fine, Kai could see the worried glances Ray would shoot at him whenever he could.  
  
His head and eyes were sore from exhaustion, his entire body felt more heavy with every passing moment, and even a single half hour of training took all the effort he had. It was sheer stubbornness and pride that was keeping him on his feet.  
  
He hadn't gone to sleep for 4 days and 3 nights, and he wasn't sure how long he could keep it up.  
  
But every time he closed his eyes, the nightmares- the memories that haunted him so- came flooding back so vividly that the urge to tape his eyes open was immense.  
  
His weary mind couldn't take it any more, and despite Kai's inner protests, he found himself drifting off, where he sat, back into the deep crevices of his mind and into his horrific past. 


	3. Concern

TT: Hey all, its me!  
  
Kai: *begins to hit his head on the wall*  
  
TT: *sweatdrops* Stop that!   
  
Kai: *thump... thump... thump...*  
  
TT: *ignores him* Anyway, I want to thank you all for your support, and I apologise for making you wait so long, but I had a distinct lack of insparation.  
  
Kai: *thump... thump... thump...*  
  
TT: Yes, well, anyway. Here's the next chapter! ^__^ But I'm not sure when the next one will be, because I'm running out of ideas... T_T  
  
Kai: *looks up* Really? ^___^ WAHOO!!!  
  
TT: -_-' Cue the disclaimer.  
  
Disclaimer: My fics are based around Kai, the show is based around Tyson. What does this tell you?  
  
Random person: You messed up when you did the show?  
  
Disclaimer: -_-' ... I'm surronded by idiots...  
  
  
  
TT: And remember- I looovvvveeeee feedback!   
  
***  
  
Kai walked through a never-ending darkness. But Kai couldn't even be sure if he was really moving, it all looked the same- dark. He held a hand up to his face, bringing it closer in an attempt to see it.  
  
All that happened was that the hidden hand bumped into his nose.  
  
Kai continued to walk, he wasn't sure where. The abyss was haunting, but at the same time, terrifyingly familiar from somewhere...  
  
Kai felt something... heat? No, it didn't seem to be heat. It was cold, ice cold, yet something told him it should be warm...  
  
As if a thinning mist, Kai was able to make something out in the darkness. Straining his eyes, he could see fire around him. Black fire.  
  
And, out of the corner of his eye, he could see a black phoenix. He turned to it, just to see it dive towards him.  
  
Then the dark flames seemed to consume him.  
  
Blackness again... The Kai realized, his eyes were closed, which was strange- he didn't remember closing them.  
  
As Kai opened his eyes, the first thing he realized wasn't what he saw, but what he felt. It hurt, a lot.  
  
The second thing was that he was smaller, younger, not a teenager, but a child.  
  
The came sight- a fist right in front of his face, making contact with him nose. Kai was knocked back, hitting his head hard against the wall behind him. He couldn't help but cry out.  
  
Which, of course, was a bad move. The glint in his grandfather's eye was proof of that. Pulling the child to his feet- by his hair no less- Kai was flung across the room again- this time hitting his head on a table.  
  
The scene changed... Kai was laying on a steel table... Well, he was bound to a steel table with restraints. A man stood over him, a inked needle in hand.  
  
Kai struggled, fighting futily. The man above him just waited until he stopped before leaving down and pressing the needle against his cheek.  
  
Pain! A different sort of pain to that the endless beatings had given him. He couldn't see it, of course, but Kai, the older Kai, knew what was happening, the tattoos that covered his face were being put into place.  
  
Voltaire's voice rang in his ears; 'Emotionless, strong, untouchable. This is what these marks symbolize. The face-paint of an ancient warrior, you are a fighter. You are untouchable, these marks will always prove that.'  
  
Everything faded again, and for a brief moment, Kai was in the abbey again, chained to a wall and staring fearfully up at Boris. Then Boris disappeared, a Black Dranzer in his place, eyes filled with a dangerous glint as they stared into Kai.  
  
And Kai couldn't help but scream.  
  
***  
  
Panicked garnet eyes opened with a start, head shooting up, breath coming out in deep pants. The moon illuminated his paler-than-usual face as Kai forced the emotion out of his eyes.  
  
Getting to his feet, Kai walked stiffly back inside, suddenly wide awake again. The clock on the wall showed that he couldn't have been asleep for more than 15 minutes...  
  
Despite himself, Kai had to smirk. He certainly wouldn't be getting any more sleep tonight.  
  
Another idle thought entered his head; the blue marks on his face still stung...  
  
***  
  
"Kai?" Stoic garnet opened to concerned amber, "What are you doing out here? It's 3 am."  
  
Kai pushed himself out of the chair, "Couldn't sleep." The lie came out of his mouth without a second thought.  
  
Ray glared slightly in frustration, "You haven't gone to bed for nights now! What's going on?"  
  
A slate blue eyebrow was raised, "None of your concern." He crossed his arms and turned away, closing his eyes again.  
  
Ray held up an empty mug, "Something's bothering you, you haven't gone to sleep in days- in fact you try to prevent going to sleep- and you don't expect us to worry about you?!" Ray shook his head in disbelief, "Well, guess what Kai, we are worried. Why don't you just talk to us?"  
  
There was silence, and suddenly Ray saw just how exhaustion Kai really was. The bags under his dull eyes, they way his shoulder's sagged, the slight slouch in his posture- as if even standing took an exhausting amount of effort.  
  
"Kai... Please, what's wrong?"  
  
"I told you, its not your business!" Kai stormed out of the room. But he only got as far as the next room before he slumped to the ground, leaning on the wall in weariness.  
  
Ray stood in the doorway, watching his friend with desperate eyes. He could hear one of the bedroom doors open, and Max wandered out, standing behind Ray.  
  
"Whats all the noise?" The blonde looked over Ray's shoulder, shocked to see the usually strong team leader sitting on the floor, near collapsing, "Kai!"  
  
Max's voice snapped Kai's mind sharply back into focus- he was displaying weakness! Dispite his body's inner protests, Kai forced himself to his feet. A painfully bright blur appeared in front of his vision.  
  
"Kai? Are you okay?" Kai's eyes focused on the shape- Max.  
  
Collecting his thoughts as best as he could, Kai growled and shoved past Max, away from the wall. "Not you too. I _told_ Ray already- I'm fine!"  
  
Ray made a sound of disbelief, "Yeah, like I buy that. You practically collapsed back there, Kai!"  
  
Kai glared and gritted his teeth, "I... Am... Fine!"  
  
Ray crossed his arms, "We don't believe you." Normally Kai's glare would have sent him away whimpering, but right now he was too worried about Kai to notice.  
  
Max glanced in between the two nervously. Before he could say anything, however, Kai turned on his heel and left. Neither Ray nor Max went after him.  
  
Max sighed helplessly, looking at Ray, "What do we do now?"  
  
Ray glared at the spot Kai had been a moment before. Chances were the duo-haired blader was leaning, exhausted, somewhere near the training beystaduium, trying to will himself to train. "I'm not sure, but we need to help him somehow…"  
  
"But he doesn't want our help."  
  
Ray thought for a moment, "I have an idea." 


	4. Sleep

TT: I had a flash of insparation!  
  
Kai: A once in a lifetime event...  
  
TT: So here's the next chapter!  
  
Kai: *groans and starts hitting his head on the wall again* Why... Why... Why... Me?  
  
TT: I'm not sure about the next chapter though, I'm running out of ideas... *sweatdrops*  
  
Disclaimer: TT owns nothing. Not even the plot, it belongs to one of her muses, because they had a bet on a cricket game.  
  
  
  
TT: Now, go, read, and REVIEW!!!!! ^________^  
  
***  
  
Max blinked as Ray took the bottle out from the cupboard, "Sleeping pills?"  
  
"Right now, what Kai needs most is sleep. We can talk to him later, when he's thinking straight again, but right now I think a couple of these are what Kai really needs."  
  
Max looked at the bottle, "How many should Kai take?"  
  
Ray frowned slightly, turning the bottle over, "Uh, go ask Kenny and ask him."  
  
Max visibly brightened as the pixie stix he was eating kicked in, "Okay!!" And with that he ran, or rather, bounced off to the bedroom.  
  
There was aloud thud, then a yell of shock, followed by a "Max!? Stop jumping on my bed!"  
  
"Ohgoodyourawake,RaywantedtoknowhowmanysleepingpillstogiveKai'causehehasn'tbeensleeping!"  
  
"... Come again?"  
  
Ray shook his head and walked over to the bedroom. Max was, indeed, bouncing on Kenny's bed, with Kenny now sitting on the floor.  
  
And Tyson was still lying, half on, half off his bed, snoring.  
  
Ray sighed, "Hey Kenny, how many sleeping pills should we give Kai?"  
  
"Why do you want to give Kai sleeping pills?"  
  
"He hasn't slept in days! And he won't tell us what's wrong."  
  
"So you want to put sleeping pills in his food our something?"  
  
Tyson looked up sleepily, "Did someone say 'food'? ...Hey, what's in the bottle?"  
  
"Uh, sleeping pills. We're going to give some to Kai."  
  
Tyson sat up and grinned broadly, "That's a great idea! They we won't have to train for a day!"  
  
"Is that all you can think about? Or haven't you notice how weird Kai's been acting? I mean, he hasn't gone to sleep for days now!"  
  
Tyson looked thoughtful, "Hey yeah, you're right. He hasn't yelled or argued with me for a little while now."  
  
"Exactly! Now, Kenny, how many pills do you think would put Kai to sleep for, say, six hours?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
***  
  
Hand on the wall for support, Kai walked through the hall. He could hear the voices of his teammates in the kitchen, fading in and out.  
  
Pulling himself upright, Kai walked through the door. Ray and Max cast him worried glances, but otherwise acted as if nothing at happened last night, for which Kai was glad.  
  
Kai walked over to the coffee pot, only to find a cup of the brown liquid waiting for him. He blinked, had he become that predictable?  
  
Too tired to think on it, Kai mentally shrugged and drank the cup. It tasted... different. But, once again, Kai was too tired to care.  
  
"Are we training now, Kai?" Ray asked, relieved and gleeful to see his leader unknowingly take the sleeping pills. Using decaffeinated coffee was a good idea on Kenny's part.  
  
Kai looked up at Ray, his eyes slid out of focus once before focusing on him. Kai nodded his head silently, then turned and walked out to the dish.  
  
Ray gave a feline grin to his friends, before they followed their leader out.  
  
***  
  
"Let It Rip!" Tyson and Max were training, with the others watching. The two bladers glanced over to where Kai was leaning. His eyes were on their blades, but they kept drooping tiredly.  
  
Kai's eyes slid out of focus again as his eyelids got heavy. It was hard just to keep them open. His eyes closed and he found that he couldn't seem to open them. He leaned more heavily on the wall. The sound of the spinning blades faded to an almost unheard buzzing. A warm shadow seemed to cover his mind, and all conscious thought faded.  
  
"Did it work?" Max watched as Ray gently shook the blue-haired teen. Kai's hair just flopped slightly   
  
Ray nodded, "Yeah, he's asleep." He gave them a grin, "Come on, let's get him inside." Ray lifted the sleeping blader onto his back, "Whoa!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"He's a lot lighter than he looks." Ray frowned, Kai must have been skipping more meals than he thought, "Come on, and lets go."  
  
"Alright! No more training!" Tyson cheered, punching the air. "Lets go eat!"  
  
Ray shook his head, "You can if you want, Tyson, but I'm taking Kai in."  
  
"'Kay, seeya Ray! Come on Maxie- I know this great restaurant with an all-you-can-eat buffet!"  
  
Ray just sighed and went inside.  
  
***  
  
Ray had managed to but Kai in his bed, and was about to leave when a whimper reached his ears. He glanced back at Kai. A look of fear, perhaps even panic, was on his usually expressionless face.  
  
Kai was murmuring something in his sleep now, and Ray moved closer to Kai so he could hear him. "Dun hurt me... Sorry... No... Please... ...Do better, next time..." This was followed by another whimper, this one in pain.  
  
Kai's head tossed back and forth, before he still again. The expressionless mask came back up and Kai's words became mere mumblings. Sweat began to form on his brow- showing his otherwise hidden distress.  
  
Ray bit his lip; maybe the sleeping pills hadn't been a good idea. He knelt in front of the bed, shaking Kai, "Kai, wake up, its just a dream."  
  
Kai froze up again, a look of horror crossing his face, followed by a low cry, "No, not you..." Another whimper, this one in pure desperation, "No... Stop...... Black Dranzer..." With a suddenly yell, Kai's garnet eyes opened wide and he sat up. Kai sat there, still for a moment, panting. Slowly, the gasps became quieter, before stopping altogether.  
  
Ray carefully put his hand lightly on Kai's shoulder, distressed when Kai tensed and moved away from the touch. "Kai, are you okay?" Mentally, Ray kicked himself. Of course Kai wasn't okay! Kai hadn't responded, so Ray tried again, "Kai?"  
  
Kai was silent for a moment longer, still staring ahead, his eyes now cold and his face emotionless again.  
  
Then, without a word, Kai leapt off the bed and left, leaving Ray to stare after him. Ray sighed as he stared at the doorway Kai had left through, Ray started speking to himself, "Okay, so maybe that wasn't such a good idea..." 


	5. Discovered?

TT: Hey all! Its me again!!  
  
Kai: You don't give up, do you?  
  
TT: Nope! ^^ Specially since I got so many reviews!  
  
Kai: Why must you people encourage here?  
  
TT: Anyway, I thought about it, but I decided not to do a Kai/Ray fic! *ducks behind Kai as rabid Kai/Ray fans chase after herr wielding pitchforks*  
  
Kai: ... *steps away, leaving TT vunerable*  
  
TT: *glares at Kai, then whimpers at the K/R fans* Sorry!! But I didn't want to mess up the story 'cause I can't write romance-y stuff!  
  
Kai: Maybe she'll get killed this time, and I can leave.  
  
TT: *running into the distance* I DON'T OWN BEYBLADE!!!  
  
***  
  
Kai sighed, slumping on the ground. 'What's _wrong_ with me?!' Sure, he was tired, but he shouldn't be this exhausted. And he sure shouldn't be letting it show!! It was weak!!  
  
Pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around his legs, Kai rested his head on his knees and sighed. "Stupid nightmares, stupid Ray, stupid coffee..." He continue down this train of thought for a while, before he sighed again- this one more in defeat than anything else. "What I wouldn't give for a decent night's sleep right now..."  
  
"Kai?" Garnet eyes met concerned blue. "What are you doing here? I thought you would be sleeping..." Tyson froze nervously, whether from the fact Kai was glaring, or that he realized he'd almost given away what they'd done, "Err, that is, you did fall asleep during training and all..."  
  
Kai got to his feet, glaring at Tyson. He crossed his arms, "Shouldn't you be training yourself?"  
  
Tyson laughed nervously, "Hey, give me a break Kai! I was hungry! Besides, its not like you can talk."  
  
"...Get back to work."  
  
"Aww, but Kai..." Now Max was whining. When did he appaer?  
  
Kai growled, too tired to be patient. "Just because I doze off does not mean that you can leave! You have a training schedule to keep and I don't care if it means you have to stay up to midnight, you are going to keep it!"  
  
"And what about you, huh Kai? Don't you have a schedule?"  
  
"Actually, Kai's been putting in so many extra hours lately that I'd have to say he's a few days ahead of schedule." Kenny informed his friend timidly.  
  
"You mean that Kai gets the day off?! That's not fair!!"  
  
Kai sent Tyson a death glare, effectively shutting him up. "You- training- now!" He didn't even bother to yell, growling was very effective.  
  
Tyson's eyes widened slightly, "Yes sir!" And he left. Very quickly. More likely to get away from the ticked blader than to train.  
  
Kai watched them leave, before turning and walking in the opposite direction.  
  
***  
  
Kai had been wandering around town for a few hours now, and was now sitting on the branch of a tree, leaning on the trunk, head lowered.  
  
He couldn't think straight anymore. There was no more desperate need, right now, than sleep. But that seemed to be just out of his grasp.  
  
"There you are!" Kai almost fell out of the tree in shock. He looked down to see Ray standing on the ground, looking up at him. "I've been looking everywhere for you." Kai couldn't help but frown, Ray sounded… Relieved? No, that couldn't be right, it was just his tired mind playing tricks on him.  
  
...Right?  
  
"Kai, talk to me." Ray's pleading attempts were only greeted with silence. "Kai, are you even awake."  
  
"...You should be training." There, he'd spoken. Would Ray leave him alone now?  
  
No such luck.  
  
"Kai, come on. It's getting late." Ray waited for a reply, sighed when he didn't receive one, "I'm not going without you, Kai."  
  
There was a slight growl from the blue haired teen. "Fine!" Leaping out of the tree, Kai didn't even look at Ray as he walked past, "Let's go."  
  
***  
  
"PIZZA!!!" Kai had barely walked through the door before he longed to turn and leave again. Judging by the fact Tyson was devouring about three pizzas on his own, while the others ate another two, he'd say they'd finished their training.  
  
"Hey Kai, Ray, you're back!" Max grinned, having just had his fifth soda, "Have some pizza, before Tyson eats it all."  
  
Ray grinned back, "Sure." He took a slice and bit into it cheerfully.  
  
Max turned to Kai, who was about to leave the room, "Hey Kai, aren't you hungry?" He watched the older blader, grin still plastered on his face.  
  
"...No..."  
  
"Aw, come on Kai! At least stay and watch the movie with us!" Kai growled, glaring at Max, who just continued grinning, "If you don't, I'll bug yu for the rest of the time we're here!"  
  
Kai froze. One night with _them_, or having to put up with Max's hyper ways for the rest of their time here... Tough choice... "Fine!"  
  
Tyson, Kenny and Ray stared at him. Max's grin went up and notch and he jumped around happily, "YAYYY!!!"  
  
Kai had a feeling he was going to regret his decision.  
  
***  
  
An hour later, Kai was sitting in an armchair, next to the couch where Max, Ray and Tyson were sitting. The three in question were watching the movie while he focused on staying awake. On the other side, Kenny sat, typing on Dizzy, in another chair.  
  
He didn't seem to be succeeding. He lowered, and eyes closed, Kai found himself struggling in the warm blackness of his almost asleep mind.  
  
He sighed as he was pulled deeper into the depths of sleep. One last thought entered his mind, 'Why can't I just forget again?'  
  
Tyson glanced at Kai, he seemed to be asleep, before looking at Ray, "So, did Kai actually get to sleep? We saw him a outside a little later."  
  
Ray swallowed, "Err, he did get a little sleep. But then he woke up again."  
  
"But I thought we gave him enough pills to make him sleep for a at least six hours."  
  
"He woke up just a few minutes after you left. I think he was having a nightmare." Ray paused, but decided that Kai would kill him if he went into detail.  
  
"Kai had a nightmare? Wow, he really is human... Maybe..." Tyson turned back to the TV, continuing to stuff his face with popcorn.  
  
***  
  
Once again, Kai was trapped in the Abbey. And also in the memories he couldn't seem to escape. Currently he was chained to a wall, with blood-covered cuts from a whip covering his body. His hair, clumped together with the red sticky liquid, was sticking to his forehead with both blood and sweat. His head hung, not in defeat, but in exhaustion.  
  
He knew he was somewhere in what he could only think of as the 'dungeons'. He wasn't quite sure how he knew, he couldn't think straight, there was only one thought, one message that was currently in his head.  
  
He hurt.  
  
A lot.  
  
Come to think of it, he didn't think even his grandfather's punishments had hurt as much as he hurt now...  
  
The scene changed slightly. No longer was he in the abbey. Now he was in a room somewhere, on his knees, staring at his grandfather's feet.  
  
'I take it back...' The thought wafted through his head, before being replaced with the shock of sudden, burning pain. The young Kai closed his eyes tightly, preventing the tears from falling.  
  
The slashes on his back were forgotten as a strong kick in the ribs- breaking several, no doubt- sent him flying across the room. He hit his head on the wall before landing on his side.  
  
Kai looked away, closing his eyes tightly. As if not being able to see would make it all disappear.  
  
Funnily enough, it did.  
  
Kai reopened his eyes, to find his team looking at him, concern evident in their eyes.  
  
"Hey Kai, are you okay? You were talking in your sleep..." Tyson trailed off as Kai sent a well aimed glare his way.  
  
Growling, Kai leapt to his feet and left. Ignoring the cries for him to come back, Kai exited the building and stormed off in a random direction.  
  
Once he had been walking for five minutes, Kai stopped, confident that he wasn't being follow. He sighed, he'd only been asleep about five minutes, the dreams had gotten more than enough time to torture him, and now his team knew his weakness! Kai growled at this thought, punching a wall.  
  
Cursing to himself as pain in his hand made itself know, Kai thought back to his nightmares. No, they weren't nightmares, they were memories. Haunting memories that were driving him insane.  
  
"Why couldn't they have stayed forgotten?..." 


	6. Huh?

TT: I've done another chapter!! ^^ Yay!!  
  
Kai: What took you so long?  
  
TT: Hey! This _was_ going to be a oneshot. O-N-E-S-H-O-T! I didn't plan on having a whole heap more chapters...  
  
Kai: In other words, you were stuck for insparation.  
  
TT: It was the dreaded writers-block!! (dun dun duunnnn) I couldn't write!  
  
Kai: Can we have the chapter now, the sooner it starts, the sooner its finished.  
  
TT: And the disclaimer; I own _A_ beyblade... But I lost it... ;_;  
  
***  
  
"Man, when you said Kai's been having nightmares, you weren't kidding." Tyson murmured as he stared at Ray, who had just gone over the details of what had happened when he had taken Kai to their room before.  
  
"So what do we do?" Max's usually happy exterior was lost.  
  
Ray shook his head sadly, "I really don't know..."  
  
***  
  
A soft whirling noise cut through the otherwise silent night, and a blade was once again released into the dish.  
  
Straining his eyes slightly to see in the semi-darkness, Kai watched his blade spin neatly around the dish, practicing moves he had perfected years ago.  
  
The memories were still fresh in his mind, banishing any thoughts of sleep. He tried to ignore them, focusing on his blade, but it didn't seem to work.  
  
He tried to focus on the sound of his blade, but the sound of Boris laughing cut through. He attempted to concentrate on watch his blade as it spun around inside the dish, but the inky blackness around him kept reminding him about his nightmares.  
  
Kai wanted to scream. All he wanted to do was forget, but the possibility seemed to be just out of his grasp.  
  
He closed his eyes, willing himself to relax and calm down. It might have worked, if not for the fact that, in a flash, a familiar image appeared behind his eyeballs. The image of a man, wearing a mask, smirking evilly while holding a whip in his hands.  
  
Garnet eyes snapped open again, and Kai groaned, pressing his head against the trunk of a nearby tree. "As if these dreams haunting my sleep weren't enough, now I'm so tired I'm seeing them when I'm awake!"  
  
He growled to himself in frustration, before looking down at his blade, which was resting in the bottom of the shadowed dish. Jumping down, Kai picked his blade up, examining the red phoenix inside the bit-chip for a moment before turning and leaving the park, scarf trailing behind him.  
  
Still muttering to himself, Kai walked aimlessly through the maze of alleyways. A slight sound came from the shadows, causing the blader to spin around and search for the source.  
  
There was a deep chuckle, and a man in a dark uniform, with the initials BV embroidered onto the shoulder, came out. "I have been sent to collect you, Kai. You're grandfather wishes for you to return to the abbey."  
  
Kai growled, then muttered random curses, "I don't care what my grandfather wants, I'm not going back!"  
  
The man chuckled again, and two other men in similar uniforms stepped out of the shadows, "You're assuming you have a choice." And with that, they attacked him.  
  
Normally, Kai would have been able to handle the three, but his body was exhausted and his mind slowed with lack of sleep, and though he struggled, he found they overpowered him.  
  
One of them shoved something into his arm, and as Kai felt himself fall into the dark abyss of unconsciousness, the last thing he heard was a familiar voice yell his name.  
  
***  
  
After Kai had left, there had been an uncomfortable silence as the rest of the movie played. No one was really watching any more, too caught up in their own concern for their team captain.  
  
The movie ended, and Kai still hadn't come back. Ray glanced at the clock, his brow furrowed in worry. "Kai's still not back..."  
  
Tyson looked up from the kitchen cupboard, "Yeah, I noticed. But the longer he's gone, the longer before he yells at me for eating all the food."  
  
"Don't you think we should go look for him?"  
  
Tyson considered, on one hand, Kai was always out somewhere, on the other hand, he was usually back by now, and he had been making a habit of falling asleep out in the open as of late... "Yeah, we probably should." Tyson got up and headed for the door, "Lets go."  
  
Ten minutes later, Ray, Max and Tyson were wandering the streets, searching for their lost teammate, while Kenny stayed behind in case he came back.  
  
Ray looked up as Max and Tyson came back over to him from their search. "Any sign of him yet?"  
  
"No... He wasn't by the dishes in the park either, I'm getting worried."  
  
There was a sound, scuffling and shouting. Ray frowned, "That's sound like Kai..."  
  
"Well then, lets go!"  
  
Running into the alley where Kai was, they found him attempted to fight off three men, all dressed in black suits. One somehow managed to hold him still while another stuck a needle into his arm. Kai struggled for a few more moments, before slumping against the man, unconscious.  
  
"KAI!" Ray lunged at the man holding their teammate, followed by Tyson and Max.  
  
The three men turned to face the three bladebreakers, startled enough by their intrusion to let them attack.  
  
Ray kicked the man holding Kai in the head. He stumbled back, putting his hands on the wall the keep his balance. Kai fell to the ground, and Tyson dragged him out of the way before returning to the fray.  
  
The three teens were by no means pushovers, but their enemies' superior skills and experience were beginning to pay off. As much as the BladeBreaker's hated to admit it, they were loosing.  
  
Which was why they were both relieved and grateful when a voice came from the entrance of the alley, "Hey! What's going on down there?" Followed by footsteps coming towards them.  
  
The biovault agents hardly glanced at each other before they ran off, leaving three worn out teenagers and one unconscious one.  
  
A man blinked as he saw them, "What happened here?" He demanded, watching the three conscious bladers carefully.  
  
Ray looked up, panting slightly to catch his breath, "Our friend was attacked." He explained.  
  
The man nodded in understanding, "You kids better go home, it's not safe to be wandering the streets at night." Without another word, he disappeared back down the alley.  
  
Ray lifted Kai up onto his back- the other didn't even stir- with a nod to Tyson and Max, he started walking out of the alley and back to their hotel. "Come on."  
  
***  
  
Kenny blinked as the four other members of the team entered their rooms. "What happened to you guys?"  
  
"I'll explain in a minute," Ray promised, "But I'm getting Kai to bed first- he needs the sleep."  
  
The others nodded, following the dark haired blader to the bedroom. Kai's brow was slightly furrowed, and he would occasionally mumble something illegible- signaling that he was having yet another nightmare.  
  
As Ray set Kai on his bed and began to undo the scarf around the blue-haired teen's neck- so that it would choke him- he began to explain to Kenny what had happened to them.  
  
He stopped short suddenly, a frown crossing his feline features, "What's this?..." He mumbled, more to himself than the others.  
  
Lifting Kai up slightly, and removing the scarf, Ray found a small metallic object prodding out of the back of Kai's neck. The others gathered nearer to look at the object.  
  
"Well, well, well. What have we here?" 


	7. Capture

TT: Yeah, its me!! I had a spark of insperation!  
  
Kai: *looks heavenwards* Why me, God. Why me?  
  
TT: *hits Kai* Don't invoke God's wrath! I can't get insperation from you if you've been eletrocuted to a crisp!  
  
Kai: Yeah yeah... *sulks*  
  
TT: Ahem, anyway, the disclaimer: YES, I OWN BEYBLADE!!!! ^______^  
  
Kai: o_o o_0 O_O 0_o NO YOU DON'T!!!  
  
TT: Yes I do! ^__^ I was told I'd own beyblade the day the world ended and fireballs rained down from the sky, and look! *points at fire outside* It came from the sky!  
  
Kai: -_-' I am very pleased to inform you that its not the end of the world, but only a firestorm.  
  
TT: ............ *begins to mutter incohorent curses under her breath*  
  
Kai: Just get the fic over and done with already!!!  
  
***  
  
Ray looked from the object in Kai's neck to the Chief, "What do you think this is, Kenny?"  
  
The smaller boy fiddled with his glasses as he examined the thing prodding out of Kai's neck, "It looks like an antenna."  
  
"Why the heck would an antenna be stuck in Kai's neck?" Tyson leaned down to look at it, taking the opportunity to poke it with his finger.  
  
"Good question..." Kenny opened his laptop, "What do you think, Dizzi?"  
  
"It's picking up some kind of radio signal, Chief, but I couldn't tell you more than that."  
  
"Hey, maybe _it's_ the reason Kai's been having those nightmares!" The others looked over at Tyson, surprised to hear a smart comment coming out of his usually food-filled mouth.  
  
Kenny contemplated this suggestion for a moment, "I suppose it _is_ possible that the radio signal being sent to the antenna is causing his memories to reply in his subconscious..."  
  
"Uhh... In English, Kenny?"  
  
"The antenna might be making him have those dreams."  
  
There was a pause as the BladeBreakers took in this new piece of information, "But who'd do that?"  
  
Ray glanced at Tyson, "Who were the ones who seemed to know that Kai was weakened and unable to concentrate because of lack of sleep?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Ray sighed, "Do I have to spell it out? BioVault _knew_ that Kai had been having nightmares- why else would they have sent their lackeys to fetch him _now_?"  
  
Max looked at Ray, "So you're saying that BioVault put that chip in Kai?"  
  
Ray nodded, "That's exactly what I'm saying."  
  
There was another pause, and then Tyson spoke, "Kai will not be happy."  
  
"You think?!" It took them a moment to realize who the sarcastic voice belonged to. They all turned to the bed, to find Kai sitting up, glaring at them.  
  
"Kai! You're awake!"  
  
The garnet-eyed teen rolled his eyes, "Its not like I could sleep with all the noise you were making. So what was that about there being a chip in me?"  
  
Kenny took the opportunity to explain, "We found an antenna sticking out of your neck. Its part of a chip that's being attached to your brainstem. The radio signal its been receiving is what's making you have your nightmares."  
  
All was quiet for a few moments, then Kai groaned, "Great... Just great." The sarcastic remark was muttered under his breath- the others had to strain their ears to hear it.  
  
There was another pause, as everyone's thoughts drifted. Finally unable to take the silence any longer, Tyson spoke, "So, now what?"  
  
***  
  
They intended to inform Mr. Dickinson of their discoveries, but until the chip could be removed, Kai insisted they trained as per normal.  
  
Which was why, 30 minutes-and 5 cups of coffee for Kai- later, the BladeBreakers were, once again, training. Because Kai is extra crabby when he's tired, and has a great deal less patience, and no one wants to be on the receiving end of Kai's anger.  
  
"Drigger! Tiger Claw Attack!"  
  
"Dragoon, Phantom Hurricane!"  
  
The two blades whirled around the dish, crashing into each other and rocketing off in different directions.  
  
Max and Kai watched their teammates mock battle intently, while Kenny focused on analyzing the data collected.  
  
After what seemed to be an exhaustingly long battle, one blade was knocked out of the dish, landing at its blader's feet.  
  
Ray knelt down and picked up his blade, looking over it before grinning at Tyson, "Looks like you win again."  
  
"Kai Hiwatari?" The BladeBreakers looked over to find a squad of men, about 12 in all, all dressed in dark suits, standing nearby. The one at the front, obviously the leader, was looking straight at Kai as he addressed him, "You're presence is required at the Abbey, by order of Voltaire."  
  
Tyson ran over, arms out in front of his teammates, "I thought we made it clear last night, Kai's not going anywhere!"  
  
The man's eyes flashed dangerously, "It wasn't a request." With hardly more than a slight motion with his hand, the entire squadron attacked.  
  
Kenny ran to get help, while the others fought. But, four teenage boys against 12 grown, trained men, is hardly an even fight. Needless to say that, though they were putting up a good fight, the BladeBreakers were losing.  
  
Max was the first on out; one of the guards knocked his into the wall, which, while it wouldn't do any permanent damage, did knock him unconscious.  
  
Ray put up a great deal more of a challenge; punching, kicking, clawing and even biting anyone who got close. Tyson, with the experience and training that his grandpa had given him, was perhaps the most difficult of the other BladeBreakers to overcome.  
  
Kai was holding his own, using every move and piece of experience the years of training had given him, to his own advantage. Ignore the slight stinging that had come up with the men had manage to land a blow, Kai continued to fight and struggle. In the end, it was mostly fatigue that stopped him from breaking free from the grasp of two men as they managed to catch a hold of him.  
  
While Kai struggled and yelled in their grasp, Ray and Tyson lunged towards the men, intending to help their captain. However, their plan didn't work out when the rest of the BioVault men tossed them aside, causing them too to crash into the wall.  
  
Temporally stunned, they could only watch helplessly as their teammate as he was dragged away and into a waiting van.  
  
Kenny came back to the scene, intending to tell them that the police would be there soon, but his voice died in his throat as he saw the scene in front of him.  
  
Max lay, unconscious on the ground. Tyson was next to the blonde haired boy, pushing himself to his knees. And Ray had one hand on the wall for balance as he pushed himself to his feet. Kai was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Ray stared at the spot where he had seen Kai be dragged into the van, now just an empty space. Anxious for his kidnapped teammate, Ray could only mumble Kai's name in despair. 


	8. Back To The Nightmare

TT: *is hitting head on the computer screen* I... can't... believe... I... did... that!...  
  
Kai: Did what?  
  
TT: Add the chip thing in, it was a dumb idea!  
  
Kai: Then why did you add it?  
  
TT: BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW ELSE YOU'D BEEN HAVING THOSE STUPID NIGHTMARES!!! I mean, this _WAS_ going to be a oneshot! I didn't plan for any of this! *continues to hit her head on the screen*  
  
Kai: ... So that means you haven't got another chapter?  
  
TT: No, not yet... T_T I just felt the need to apoligise for this, and ask for anyone who has any ideas for the fic to post in their reviews.  
  
Kai: ...Well, seeing as this isn't a chapter, and you're school holiday is almost over, I'll go for a holiday of my own... *walks off*  
  
TT: HEY!! GET BACK HERE!!!  
  
Kai: Now what?  
  
TT: _YOU_, my little muse-type person, can do the disclaimer!  
  
Kai: *sighs* -_-' If you're here, and half have a brain, you've already read the other chapters. What did she say about owning BeyBlade?  
  
***  
  
Kai struggled vainly in the man's grip, trying to break free as he was dragged towards the van, "NO! LET ME GO!!"  
  
Ignoring his yells, the man threw Kai into the back of the van. Kai landed heavily on the floor, the wind knocked out of him. He groaned slightly as the rest of the men climbed in.  
  
Kai pushed himself into a sitting position, only to have two of the men grab him and hold him down so that he could move. He tried to yell, but a hand covered his mouth.  
  
Still struggling, Kai felt a cloth cover his mouth and nose. A scent wafted in as he breathed in, and before he was aware of what was happening, he blacked out.  
  
***  
  
Some time later, Kai's eyes opened with a start, panting slightly. 'Another dream...' Glancing around, Kai found himself lying on the floor of a cell. It was dark; he could hardly see the outline of the cell's bars in front of him. And it was quiet, eerily quiet...  
  
"Ahh, so you have awoken, young Kai." At the sound of the voice, Kai began to regret not appreciating the silence while it lasted.  
  
A light when on outside the cell, and Boris peered in at the teen, his yellow teeth curved into a menacing smirk.  
  
Kai growled and pushed himself into a sitting position. He then discovered that his hands were chained together, as were his feet. Kai looked back over at Boris, who was leering sadistically. Kai couldn't help but pale slightly as a thought wafted through his mind, 'shit...'  
  
The cell opened, and Boris stepped inside, closing the barred door behind him, "Do you know why you're here, Kai?" He didn't wait for an answer, "Well, your grandfather seems to think you've forgotten where you stand. And I'm inclined to agree with him."  
  
Still smirking, Boris approached the duo colour haired teen. Kai's eyes widened ever so slightly in fear, slight tremors, impossible to notice if you weren't looking for them, shook his frame.  
  
With a slight chuckle, Boris stopped in front of Kai, continuing. "So we decided a little _rehabilitation_ was in order." He looked down at Kai, pleased with the effect his words were having on him, "And, of course, using the transceiver we inserted into your brainstem last time you were here, to improve your memories of previous 'lessons' had a second use, didn't it? Without sleep, you couldn't resist capture..."  
  
Frowning slightly at Kai, who was staring stubbornly at the ground, he used a hand to lift Kai's chin to look at him, pleased to see a speck of fear in the garnet eyes.  
  
Boris mused, still watching Kai, hand under chin, amused to see the fear slowly grow more and more evident with every passing second. "Now, lets see... How shall we start?"  
  
  
  
***  
  
"Have they found anything yet?" Tyson asked, looking over at Kenny, who just sighed in response.  
  
"Tyson, you can't expect immediate results, you know. The police are doing everything they can, but it's going to take time."  
  
"But by then, it might be too late! Who knows what's happening to Kai right now!" The others sighed and shook their heads; Tyson's words spoke for their own thoughts as well.  
  
"I'm as worried about Kai as you are, but we can't do anything except wait and hope for the best, Tyson." Ray explained patiently to the younger teen.  
  
Tyson sighed in defeat, allowing himself to collapse into a chair, shoulders slumped. He could have sworn he was missing something here. 'Lets see, BioVault stuck a chip into Kai, and it messed with his head... BioVault came and kidnapped Kai... So where would BioVault take him...' He pondered this for a few more moments, before it struck him and he leapt to his feet, "The Abbey!!"  
  
His teammates looked at Tyson in confusion, "Uh, Tyson, what are you talking about?" Max was the first one to speak.  
  
"I'll bet Kai's been taken back to the abbey!"  
  
The others blinked as Tyson's statement sinking in. The confusion cleared from their faces, "You're probably right! Why didn't' we think of it sooner?"  
  
"Beats me, Kenny. But now that we know, what are we waiting for?!"  
  
"A plane...?"  
  
***  
  
Kai couldn't help but let out a gasp of pain as the whip once again licked with back, seeming to set it on fire. He panted slightly as blood welled up in the many cuts that now crossed his back, the red substance creating trails down his back.  
  
He was still bound hand and foot, on his knees as Boris continued to take delight in torturing him.  
  
"Had enough, young Kai?" Kai groaned inwardly, closing his eyes and trying to wish everything away. "No? Well then we'll just have to fix that, won't we?"  
  
The whip was put down, and Kai was roughly grabbed by the hair, lifted to his feet. Swaying slightly on his tied feet, Kai didn't have time to collect himself and brace for the kick that made its way into his midsection.  
  
Falling onto the floor, he took a sharp intake of breath as he landed in his back. His eyes open in pain and shock, he could make out the mask figure looming over him, sickening grin still plastered in his features.  
  
A foot connected with his ribs- twice, and garnet eyes scrunched close with pain. He gritted his teeth, trying to stop himself from crying out. There was no point in having a worse punishment than he already had, after all.  
  
However, the snap of a broken rib echoed through the air, Kai couldn't contain the short yell that tore out of his throat.  
  
Boris frowned, looking over him, "You've grown soft in your absence, young Kai. Have you so readily forgotten all that was taught to you here?" He leered at the teen again, kicking in onto his stomach and waiting for the duo haired blared to get to his feet. "I guess I'll have to teach you again..."  
  
Kai pushed himself to his knees with a groan, facing away from Boris. His shoulders were slumped slightly with fatigue as he tried to push himself to his feet.  
  
Impatient, Boris kicked him in the back of the knees as Kai managed to get up, causing him to fall to his knees again.  
  
For not the first time, Kai closed his eyes tightly, vainly wishing that this was all one of his nightmares, and that he would wake up now, leaving this place behind.  
  
As if reading his mind, Boris laughed, a sound with caused Kai to whimper and long to run as far away from him as possible, "Sorry, Kai, but you're not going anywhere." 


	9. Planning

TT: I'm surprised I made it this far into the story!  
  
Kai: *sarcastically* Yes, its amazing what a few bags of sugar and a bad mood, because of you're little brother, can do, isn't it?  
  
TT: Well someone's grumpy.  
  
Kai: Of course I am! You insist on torturing me!  
  
TT: That's because you and Ray are my favorites! You're just such a bishie! *glomps Kai*  
  
Kai: o_0; GET IT OFF OF ME!!! GET IT OFF OF ME!!!  
  
TT: *lets go* Spoilsport... T_T Anyway, because I'm going back to school in three days, this might be my last update, and it might be a few days between updates from now on...  
  
Kai: I'll bet that camp you're school makes you go on won't help...  
  
TT: Ten days along... in the wilderness... with those idiots called my schoolmates... WITHOUT INTERNET AND FANFICTION.NET!!! AHHH!!!! HOW WILL I SURVIVE!?!  
  
Kai: Turn homicidal?  
  
TT: Uh, yeah, actually, that's probably what will happen.  
  
Kai: I'll do the stupid disclaimer... If TT owned BeyBlade, she'd be rich enough to fake breaking her leg and not have to go on the torturous camp!  
  
***  
  
"Can we go _now_?!"  
  
"Be patient Tyson, the plane's almost ready for boarding. Until then, you'll have to wait."  
  
"But Chief, Kai's out there and he needs our help!"  
  
"We don't like it any more than you do, Tyson, but we can't do anything now, and complaining isn't helping." Ray looked over at where Tyson was now pacing, "So sit down or something."  
  
With a defeated sigh, Tyson flopped down into a chair, jumping up again almost immediately, as it was announcement that the plane to Moscow, Russia, was now boarding.  
  
They all rushed to the boarding area. Well, in all honesty, they rushed towards the boarding area; expect Tyson, who was distracted by the sight of a candy dispenser. Max and Ray had to pull him away.  
  
And so, five minutes later, they were sitting in the plane as it took off, Tyson happily munching on the fifth chocolate bar he had managed to buy before he was dragged away from the machine.  
  
"Tyson, how can you eat?! Weren't you the one who was so worried about Kai that you could sit down before?"  
  
"I know Kenny, and I am worried about Kai. But I'll need to keep my strength up!"  
  
Ignoring his teammates, Ray stared at the window, an anxious expression resting on his face. 'Hang on, Kai...'  
  
***  
  
Kai leaned on the wall of the cell, ignoring the pain that flared in his back at the action. He was slouched forward, panting slightly with pain and exhaustion. His clothes were now ripped and tattered; his body covered in bruises and cuts, with blood still dripping out of the corner of his mouth.  
  
Kai wasn't sure how long he'd been here, it could have been hours, it could have been days. And goodness knows if anyone was looking for him!  
  
His senses had, for the main part, shut down, for which he was very grateful. But he was still conscious enough to know one thing... He hurt.  
  
A lot.  
  
Lifting his still tied hands; Kai wiped the blood away from his mouth, and almost unconsciously rubbed his sore neck.  
  
His fingers brushed against the part of the chip that was poking out of his skin, and Kai's temper flared at himself. To think it had been there all that time, and he'd never known!!  
  
He thought back to what Boris had said about the chip. It purpose was to be used as a tracking device, to keep tabs on him. But has it had, technically, been attached to his brain; it had, somehow, caused a side effect. That is, causing the memories he had blocked out so long to plague his subconscious, resulting in his nightmares.  
  
Boris had discovered this by the readings the chip sent back to them, and had decided to use it to his advantage. It had also been, with a laugh that had made Kai's blood freeze, that the chip couldn't be removed.  
  
Kai pulled himself out of his musings with a final thought of, 'Yeah, this sucks...' He then mentally slapped himself; it wasn't the time or that place for self-pity!  
  
Kai slumped forward and began leaning on the wall again, his abused body unable to hold itself upright any longer. His hair, clumped together with the sticky crimson substance, fell into his eyes, but Kai didn't seem to have the energy to brush it back.  
  
Kai's mind finally shut down, pulling the boy into the warm, dark depths of unconscious.  
  
***  
  
"Hey guys, I know it sounds stupid, but what do we do when we get to Russia?"  
  
The other BladeBreakers just looked at Ray blankly, who sighed with impatience before explaining.  
  
"We can't just brake into the Abbey and get Kai. Their security's too good quality for that. Remember last time we tried it?"  
  
"So what do you suggest?"  
  
"We need a plan, maybe a distraction or something? I'm not sure, I just know that diving into this without any thought isn't going to get us anywhere."  
  
Kenny frowned, and then looked up, "Well, maybe Dizzi can find a map of the Abbey, so that we can find out where Kai's probably being held?"  
  
"Sounds like a good idea, Chief. We'll go from there, I suppose."  
  
Kenny nodded and opened his laptop, tuning out of the conversation the others continued to hold.  
  
"Do you think we could sneak in?"  
  
"Don't you remember last time? Its practically impossible for us to get past all the security equipment, there's no way we could pull it off."  
  
"It was just a suggestion... What if Kenny and Max created a diversion?"  
  
"That might work..."  
  
"I don't think that all their guards would be sent out just for me and Kenny, guys. Besides, if they saw us, they'd know that you two were there as well, and probably there to try and rescue Kai."  
  
"Well I'm running out of ideas..."  
  
"Do you think its possible that Kenny can download a virus into their computer system? That would mess up their security system, at least."  
  
"Hey yeah! That's a great idea! We'll talk to the Chief about it as soon as he's done looking for that map."  
  
"What about the guards?"  
  
"What about them, Max? I just whip out my beyblade and let Dragoon take care of the rest!"  
  
After a while, Kenny looked up, "Guys, I think I found a map. See for yourselves." He turned the laptop around, showing them the three diagrams, the three levels of the Abbey.  
  
The remaining three moved in closer, staring at the screen, "Awesome! So where would Kai be held?"  
  
"Weellll..." Kenny adjusted his glasses thoughtfully, "I'm not exactly sure, but I think he'd probably be held in one of these cells in the lowest level." Kenny pointed to the area.  
  
Tyson nodded, then remembered what they'd been talking about before, "Hey Kenny, do you think you can give their computers a virus that'll mess with their security?"  
  
"Hmm, what do you think Dizzi?" He turned his computer back around to face him.  
  
"Do I look that outdated to you, Kenny? I'm hurt by your lack of faith."  
  
Tyson cheered and whooped, punching the air, "Alright!"  
  
Just then, the overhead speakers came on, and announced that they would be landing in a few moments.  
  
Ray sat back in his seat; staring out at the cold scenery of Russia, 'Hold on Kai, we're coming for you...'  
  
***  
  
Kai was brought out of his safe darkness by a series of hard slaps to the face. With a groan as the pain returned, Kai forced his eyes open, blinking slightly. He found that his arms were now chained over his head, attached to the wall. Which, at least, explained how he was standing.  
  
Boris was standing right in front of him, and Kai was sure that if he'd had anything to eat, he would have been sick. "So good of you to rejoin us, young Kai." The masked man in front of him continued to leer evilly at him, making Kai long to run very far away from him. "And guess what? You have a visitor."  
  
Kai blinked, trying to piece together what was being said. His breathing hitched when Boris stepped out of the way, allowing him to see the man standing in the doorway, the light streaming in from behind him casting him into shadow and making him seem even more imposing. 'Grandfather...' 


	10. Rescue!

TT: *standing in shock* x_X ...  
  
Kai: -_- What is is now?!  
  
TT: ... I got hugged by one of the reviewers...!  
  
Kai: ...  
  
TT: ...  
  
Kai: ...Do you have an update or what?  
  
TT: *snaps out of her stupor* Oh, yeah! I managed to do another chapter, but I'm not sure when the next one will be...  
  
Kai: School coming back?  
  
TT: *nods* Its Saturday now, and I go back on Monday... and... O_0 I WAS WORKING ON THE FICS SO MUCH I FORGOT TO DO MY HOMEWORK!!!! AHHHH!!!!  
  
Kai: Which means that if you don't do that tommorrow, you loose computer privaliges?  
  
TT: *nods, still freaking out*  
  
Kai: THEN DON'T DO IT!!! NO COMPUTER MEANS NO TORTURE FOR ME!!!  
  
TT: *stops freaking out and glares at Kai* Just do the disclaimer!  
  
Kai: -_-' If TT owned BeyBlade, she'd PAY someone to do her homework- ON TIME!!  
  
TT: *sweatdrops* On with the fic!  
  
***  
  
Kai was slumping forward, held up only by the chains around his wrists, and non-too gracefully throwing up blood.  
  
His so-called 'grandfather' and Boris were standing in front of him, observing his actions with slight expressions of disgust.  
  
Once Kai finally stopped, leaving him panting desperately for breath, Voltaire took the opportunity to kick Kai at the knees, causing his legs to crumple beneath him and more pressure to be put on his wrists.  
  
The teen managed to lift his head slightly, so that he could see the two adults through his hair.  
  
Both were wearing malicious grins, malevolent glints could be seen in their narrowed eyes, and all in all, they looked ready to kill him without hesitation.  
  
Needless to say, they were both enjoying their payback.  
  
Kai's head slouched forward and his hair once again prevented him from seeing any more. Not that he really wanted to.  
  
A back handed slap landed on his cheek, the rings on Voltaire's fingers cutting the skin.  
  
Time for round two...  
  
The beating stopped abruptly as security alarms rang through the abbey, only to be stopped a few moments later.  
  
Voltaire and Boris stopped, slightly worried. A radio on Boris' belt crackled to life. "Uh, sir? We seem to be having some trouble with the computers at the control room..."  
  
With a growl of irritation, the two men turned and left through the doorway of the cell, Boris paused for a moment, looking back at the beaten boy, "Enjoy you're break while you can, because we'll be back very, very soon..."  
  
As he was once again left alone in the cell, Kai fell into dark unconsciousness.  
  
***  
  
The remaining BladeBreakers were hiding in the shadows near the Abbey, Kenny typing rabidly on Dizzi while the others watched. "Come on, Kenny! Hurry up!"  
  
"Just hold on, I'm almost done..." As if on cue, the alarms went off, causing the other three to jump, then were silent again. "That should do it! Now go!"  
  
Not needing any more encouragement, the three in question ran to the doors, as the guard ran from his post in order to find out what was going on.  
  
Tyson opened the door and glanced around, "All clear, lets go!"  
  
With a nod, the three rushed deeper into the hell known as the Abbey, in search of their lost friend.  
  
***  
  
Boris and Voltaire stormed into the control room to find the technicians vainly trying to work the computers. The computers themselves were doing everything but what they were supposed to. One had turned itself off, and refused to be turned on again, another had a white a screen and the rest had static.  
  
"What is going on here?!"  
  
The technicians turned to their employers, "Sir, the computer systems are malfunctioning."  
  
"I can see that! What are you doing about it?"  
  
"We're doing everything we can, sir, but nothing seems to be working." The head technician explained.  
  
And the technicians could only winch as Boris began to make threats to the other.  
  
***  
  
The three teens ran through the hall, trying to remember the directions Kenny had given them to reach the holding cells where they assumed Kai would be.  
  
They paused as they came to a fork, "Which way?"  
  
"Uhh..." Ray's head snapped to the left as he heard footsteps coming from that direction, "Right!"  
  
Diving down the right passage, they ducked into an empty room, waiting for the guards to pass.  
  
"Hey guys!" Tyson and Ray turned to Max, who was standing next to a set of stairs, "I think we found our way down!"  
  
Tyson grins, "That's great, Maxie! Now come on, lets go!"  
  
Going down the stairs and into another corridor, they came face with two guards, Tyson blinked once, before yelling, "RUN!!"  
  
Not needing any more encouragement, the other two ducked past with Tyson, running down the corridor with the guards in hot pursuit.  
  
Tyson suddenly took out his beyblade and launched it at the guards, summoning Dragoon, who rendered their attackers unconscious with ease.  
  
Ray sent a half-hearted glare in Tyson's direction, "We're trying to be inconspicuous, here!"  
  
Tyson glared back, "Oh, like strangers who, incidentally, beat the Abbey's team in the championship, being chased by guards is an everyday event!"  
  
"Hey, come on guys, we're here to find Kai! Remember?"  
  
Ray sighed, "Max is right, lets go." And with that, they sprinted off again.  
  
***  
  
A few minutes later, they were wandering down the dimly lit halls of the lowest area of the Abbey. They could hear water dripping somewhere, and it was cold. But mostly they shivered from the sights they could see within each cell, increasing their worry about Kai.  
  
"He's got to be around here somewhere... HEY, KAI!? CAN YOU HEAR US??"  
  
"Tyson! Be quiet, we don't know if there are any guards around here or not."  
  
"Uh, guys...? I think I found him..."  
  
Tyson and Ray looked over at Max, who was standing up ahead, staring into one of the cells, the colour draining from his face.  
  
Tyson and Ray ran up, looking into the chamber. Neither could stop the gasps of horror that broke out of their throats.  
  
Blood was streaked across the walls and floor, small pieces of torn clothing littering the corners. Hanging on the wall opposite them, held up by his wrists, was their unconscious team captain. His hair hung more loosely than usual, clumped and coated together with blood. His face, contorted into an expression of pain, was flecked with the same crimson substance. The triangles standing out more than ever against the pale face.  
  
His clothes were torn, and stained dark with the blood that was still dripping from the many open wounds that covered his body.  
  
"KAI!!"  
  
The three of them forced the door open, rushing to their blue-haired teammate. Tyson shook him gently as Ray tried to remove the chains that bound Kai's wrists.  
  
"Kai, can you hear me? Come on, this isn't funny!" Tyson's voice came closer to cracking with every word.  
  
Kai stirred, ever so slightly, making a slight sound deep in his throat. The other three nearly fainted with relief as confused and pained garnet eyes forced themselves open.  
  
Kai blinked in bewilderment, not quite sure how to piece together what was going on. Wasn't he back in the Abbey? Or had it all been another of those dreams? ...No, he hurt too much for it to have been a dream.  
  
So what were Ray, Max and Tyson doing here?  
  
"Kai, are you okay?" Mentally, Ray slapped himself, of course Kai wasn't okay! "Say something." He gave up trying to pull off the chains, and looked around for a key.  
  
"...What?" Kai's voice was quiet and hoarse, and he couldn't collect his thoughts enough to complete his sentence. Max and Tyson were in a state of shock; they couldn't believe what Kai had gone through.  
  
Grinning as he found a key hanging just outside the chamber, Ray unlocked the restraints. Unable to support himself, Kai fell forward, only to be caught by Ray and Tyson.  
  
Realizing that he hadn't answered Kai's earlier question, Tyson spoke up as they half lead, half carried Kai out of the chamber, "What's it look like? We're busting you out of here!" 


	11. Home Free?

TT: Due to popular demand, I have updated!  
  
Kai: *raises eyebrow* Popular demand?  
  
TT: Oh, shut up. o_0 woah, Treachery89 is right! x-Shadow-x did practically us both in her fic! Wow! Thank you, Shadow! ^___^  
  
Kai: -_- Great, now she's going to be grinning like that all day.  
  
TT: ^^ I'm sorry it took so long to update, everyone. But, as I said, I had to go back to school, and I was given an oral for geog that I have to do because its worth 20%...  
  
Kai: Excuses, excuses.  
  
TT: *glares*  
  
Kai: *glares back*  
  
TT: *whimpers and ducks under the desk* I also apologise if this chappie is terrible- school zaps my insperation... Yet another reason why I hate it.  
  
Kai: At least I didn't get caught again.  
  
TT: Ah, but you were going to. I just didn't know where to go from their, so you got away... for now...  
  
Kai: Oh joy.  
  
TT: Disclaimer!  
  
Kai: If TT owned beyblade, I'd still have my scarf in G-force.  
  
TT: Yep! ^^ Fic time!  
  
***  
  
Kai's head was lowered as he focused on keeping his footing. Normally he would hate himself for being this weak, but right now wasn't the time to insist he didn't need help.  
  
His mind was dizzy, whether from exhaustion or blood loss he wasn't sure, and he couldn't seem to focus on where he was being led. Bordering on the edge of consciousness, the only thing that kept him awake were the images that flashed through his mind whenever he neared unconsciousness. As much as he hated the idea, he had to trust his teammates to get them out of here.  
  
Tyson glanced at the blue haired blader. He was barely conscious, one of Kai's arms over his shoulders, the other over Ray's. Kai didn't even seem to be aware how heavily he was leaning on his two teammates.  
  
And he was getting blood all over their clothes, too...  
  
Tyson glanced back over at Kai, a worried expression on his face, as the fellow blader's head slumped lower, completely hiding weary garnet eyes from view. "Kai, you still with us?" He got a slight moan in response; at least he was still awake.  
  
Ray, on Kai's other side, glanced at the fallen phoenix in concern as well, "Hold on Kai, we're almost there."  
  
"Hey!" The four BladeBreaker's froze, turning to find several guards behind them. Tyson gulped, exchanging a glance with Ray and Max. Kai was in no condition to run, to how were they going to get out of this one?  
  
"Tyson, Ray, go!" The two teens in question blinked at their blonde friend as he pulled out his beyblade, aiming it at the guards, "What are you waiting for?! I'll hold them off, now go!"  
  
"But..." Tyson stared at him for a moment, before nodding in understand, "Be careful Max." He turned to the raven-haired one, "Come on, lets go!"  
  
Max barely registered as his friends ran down the passage, all thought focused on the men in front of him. "LET IT RIP!!"  
  
While Max distracted the guards, Tyson and Ray focused on trying to remember the way out.  
  
"I hope Max will be okay..."  
  
"Sure he will, he's tough."  
  
"I hope you're right..." Ray blinked, then grinned at Tyson, "There's the exit!"'  
  
"Alright! Now we can get out of this creepy place!" Tyson paused, "What about Max? We can't go without him."  
  
Ray frowned, torn between two loyalties. "We can't stay here either... And we need to get Kai to a doctor, too."  
  
As soon as Ray mentioned his name, they both glanced at their duo colour haired teammate. His breathing was slightly labored, and he was covered in blood, fresh and bleeding from all the movement, that dripped off his brow like sweat.  
  
"What are you guys waiting for?" The two aware bladers jumped, before turning their heads to see their blonde haired friend standing behind them.   
  
"MAX!!"  
  
"Yeah, that's me." Despite their situation, he was able to give them a lopsided grin, "So what are you standing around here for? Lets go!"  
  
***  
  
"What's taking them so long, Dizzi?" The Chief asked as he typed on the laptop, his voice portraying his concern. He was sitting on a bench in the park they'd agreed to meet.   
  
"I don't know, Chief, but I hope they get back soon. The sooner they get back, the sooner you'll let us take a break."  
  
"That's not funny, Dizzi..."  
  
"Chief!" Kenny jumped, falling off the bench in surprise as Max ran through the trees towards him.  
  
"There you are! What took you so long?"  
  
"Nothing, really, but we got Kai!"  
  
Kenny got to his feet, adjusting his glasses, "That's great! But where is he?"  
  
Max's happy expression sobered in record timing, "Tyson and Ray are bringing him... He's in pretty bad shape..."  
  
"What do you..." Kenny trailed off as he caught sight of the team leader, practically being carried by Ray and Tyson. An arm slung over each of their shoulders, head lowered as he fought to stay conscious, his clothes torn and heavy with dark blood, it was not a pretty picture.  
  
Kenny must have paled, because Dizzi beeped at him, "Don't faint on us, Chief! And come on, show me what's going on!"  
  
Kai gave a slight moan, unable to fight to black cloud hovering over his vision, and slumped further onto Ray and Tyson.  
  
Tyson groaned at the sudden, though slight, increase in weight, "Oh sure, _now_ he faints!"  
  
Kenny snapped out of his stupor, "Call an ambulance! He needs a doctor right away!"  
  
"You're telling me."  
  
"I think I saw a payphone that we just past." Max was gone before anyone could answer.  
  
***  
  
The minutes past agonizingly slow, and Max, Tyson and Ray passed the time explaining to Kenny what had happened when they went to get Kai, all of them frequently throwing their friend concerned glanced which would have resulted in death glares if he were awake.  
  
It seemed as if hours had past by the time they finally heard ambulance sirens, and the four of them leapt to their feet to meet it.  
  
The doctors who had come in the ambulance were, perhaps, even more horrified with Kai's condition than his teammates had been. Time suddenly pasted as if a blur, and before they knew it, the BladeBreaker's were in a waiting room, while Kai was lying somewhere in an operating theater.  
  
Tyson rammed his fist down on the armrest of the chair he was sitting in, "They haven't told us anything!"  
  
"Tyson, please, be patient, we have to wait until Kai's out before they can tell us anything."  
  
"I know Chief, but..." Tyson trailed off, not sure what to say, but the others knew what he was thinking. Kai had looked, for probably the first time since they had met him, weakened and exhausted. It scared them all to think that their strong, untouchable and emotionless leader could be hurt to such a state.  
  
Ray stared ahead at an empty space of air. Were these what the nightmares, that had plagued Kai's sleep for so long, made of? It was no wonder he had been loosing sleep over them. 'Kai... Please be okay...' 


	12. Weakened

TT: Hey all! Its me again!  
  
Kai: You won't give up, will you?  
  
Man: 'scuse me, I've got a message for TT from Ice-Queen.  
  
Kai: Oh no, not her!!  
  
TT: Be nice!! *to man* You can give it to me after. *to audience* Oh, and can I take the oppertity to congratulate Treachery89 on her 200th review- Cause her story's great!!  
  
Kai: Showing favortism, are we?  
  
TT: *sweatdrops* No, I think that x-Shadow-x's story is great too, and so is...  
  
Kai: I get the idea.  
  
TT: *all dreamy-eyed* wish I could get 200 reviews...  
  
Kai: But you're stories are terrible!  
  
TT: T_T Meanie. And I know I'll never get that many reviews, its just wishful thinking.  
  
Kai: ...If she owned beyblade, she'd PAY someone to give her that many reviews.  
  
***  
  
Kenny came back from a phone, "I called Mr. Dickinson, he says he'll be here as soon as he can." He wasn't really surprised when his statement got no response. Kai was still being treated, three hours after he was brought in, and no one had told them anything yet.  
  
"You're all here to see Kai Hiwatari, aren't you?" The BladeBreakers looked up at the young doctor who had just addressed them.  
  
Tyson was the first to his feet, "Can we see him yet!? Where is he?! How is he?!"  
  
The doctor looked at the clipboard in his hands, "He's been placed into room #59, yes, you can see him, but he may not be awake yet. He has two broken ribs, and another one is fractured, one of his wrists is broken, one ankle has a bad sprain, he's malnourished, underweight and he also has many cuts and wounds that look suspiciously like they were made by a knife. We also found an unidentified object attached to his brainstem, but we aren't sure what that is..." The doctor looked up, to find the BladeBreakers long gone. "...Why do I even bother?"  
  
***  
  
For teens ran down the hall, ignoring the glares they were receiving from nurses, patients and other visitors. The door numbers flashed by before they all skidded to a stop in front of one.  
  
Ray was the one who opened the door and looked in. He wanted to burst into tears at the sight before him, but willed himself to be strong for the others- they were looking to him for support, after all.  
  
In the center of the white room, lying in a bed; was Kai. His entire body seemed to be wrapped in stained gauze, many of the cuts that covered his body had stitches, his left wrist in a cast. His face was fairly clear, but his left check had several bandages adorning it, and his hair was still stained dark with blood.  
  
Kenny made a choked sound at the back of his throat, Max looked as if he were about to burst into tears, Tyson had turned white and Ray's breath had caught in his throat as they stared at their fallen friend.  
  
Garnet eyes, still slightly glazed with the endless throb of pain- though it had dulled great due to the wonders of drugs- slowly forced themselves opened to look at them, before adverting their gaze elsewhere stubbornly.  
  
After what seemed to be an age, Ray walked forward, sitting in a chair next to the bed, and spoke, "Kai? How are you feeling?"  
  
As if this act had broken some kind of spell, the others walked forward too, though perhaps somewhat hesitantly.  
  
Kai refused to meet their eyes; he didn't want to see the pity they held towards him. Mentally, he was torn with despair, his teammates were now seeing him in the one way he hated to be seem above all others. Weak, pathetic, something to be pitied. The respect and authority his cold, hard mask had given was gone, leaving him like so.  
  
And he hated the fact the others were still here, watching him like this. They were probably loving it, Tyson especially.  
  
Kai wanted them to just leave, to go away and leave him alone and never come back. But they weren't going to, he wasn't sure why, but they were still here. And they were still waiting for him to answer Ray's question.  
  
Kai's mind flew through many possibilities; so much as speaking would let them see just how weak he really was.  
  
With this thought in mind, Kai went with his classic reply of "Hnn."  
  
Relief flooded the features of the other BladeBreaker's faces- Kai had to be feeling better to say that, after all.  
  
"Man Kai, you had us worried!" Kai winched at the volume of Tyson's voice. But at the same time, his statement confused him. Worried? About him? No, they wouldn't be worried... But then, they _had_ saved him back in the abbey... Kai groaned inwardly as a headache began to form.  
  
"What _happened_ to you in there, Kai?" Ray's question was ignored as the blue-haired teen looked away again. He didn't want to display any more weakness than he already had.  
  
"Hey Kai, are you going to eat that?" Kai looked over at the untouched plate of food a nurse had put by his bed.  
  
Kai smirked to himself, "Only you could like the look of hospital food, Tyson."  
  
Taking it as a 'go ahead' signal, Tyson grabbed the plate and began to stuff the food into his mouth happily. The others felt quite sick at the display- because some things you never get used to.  
  
A man in the doorway cleared his throat, and they all turned to find the same doctor standing there. "Sorry to interrupt, boys, but you have to leave now. Mr. Hiwatari needs his sleep."  
  
Ray saw a flash panic in Kai's garnet eyes, and it was with a hidden desperation that Kai protested, "I'm not tired."  
  
The doctor gave him an 'I-don't-believe-you' smile, "I'm sure you're not, but you still need your rest." He then looked at the others, "So its best you leave."  
  
Inside, Kai was torn; the others were leaving- which was what he wanted. But he was expected to go to sleep, and return to the nightmares that terrified him so. Not sure what else to do, Kai settled for glaring daggers at the doctor, who fidgeted uncomfortably under his gaze.  
  
The tension was so thick that the air could have been cut with a knife, and after an age, the doctor spoke again, rather hesitantly this time, "Erm... Perhaps later...?" He received nothing but a continued glare from the teen, "I'll just... Go now..." The doctor left the room as fast as possible without running.  
  
Tyson looked at Kai, "Sheesh, why'd you do that? He was just doing his job."  
  
Max grinned optimistically, "I know! It's because he didn't want us to go!!"  
  
Tyson grinned back at Max, then at Kai, "Aww Kai, I knew you couldn't live without us!"  
  
Kai groaned to himself and sunk deeper into the bed, 'I should have just gone to sleep.' 


	13. Tainted

TT: ^_____^ FWEEE!!!! *jumps up and down and give candy to the reviewers*  
  
Kai: Why are you so happy?  
  
TT: I'VE GOT OVER 150 REVIEWS!!! MY BEST YET!!!  
  
Kai: *raises an eyebrow* The only other fic thats gotten over ten is 'Bloodied Knife' and that only has 30.  
  
TT: *ignores Kai* And so, to all my reviewers, I say; THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Kai: Ow, my ears hurt.  
  
TT: ^^; And to make my reviwers happy, I've updated- and this one is THREE pages! Thats right, not two, but THREE!  
  
Kai: *sarcastically* wow, what an achievement.  
  
TT: ^^ You can't upset me today, my little bishie, 'cause I've got 150 reviews!  
  
Kai: *ignores TT and reads through script* ... Were you on drugs when you wrote this?  
  
TT: -_-' Very funny.  
  
TT's Mum: *in another room* Oh, (censored, NO ONE may know my real name! Mwahaha!) Will you put the washing out.  
  
TT: In a minute mum. T_T we'll she ruined my good mood. Now, Kai, do the disclaimer. *sulks off the do the washing*  
  
Kai: If TT owned beyblade, she wouldn't have to help around the house now, would she?  
  
***  
  
Kai lay in the bed in silence, trying to ignore Ray, who was still sitting next to him while the others went to get something to eat.  
  
They'd even offered to bring food back for him, but Kai had refused, claiming he wasn't hungry. And, anyway, the lack of sleep had made him nauseous, he'd probably throw up anything he ate.  
  
Ray fidgeted slightly in his seat; the silence was beginning to bother him. Besides, their were a few things on his mind, and now seemed to be a good time to ask. "Hey Kai, about those nightmares of yours. What happens in them to make you see upset?"  
  
The raven-haired teen didn't see how Kai stiffened at the subject.  
  
"...Kai?" The amber-eyed blader looked up, surprised to find Kai glaring at the ceiling, his glare harsher than one he ever remembered seeing. It was as if the air around him was vibrating with a raging and dangerous aura.  
  
What happened in his nightmares? A lot of things, things that he didn't want to remember... Every punishment, every harsh word that Boris and Voltaire had given him, came back to him in those dreams, each one had brought him a little closer to what he was now. Each blow and punch had forged exactly what they had wanted...  
  
And Kai hated himself for that.  
  
And then, of course, there was Black Dranzer. Perhaps the darkest shadow in his nightmares. The feeling of power that had vibrated at his fingertips, but, at the same time, the dark and evil presence that had filled his mind, threatening to consume him. It had him mesmerized, he couldn't fight it. Even if he had wanted to, he hadn't had the strength.  
  
Every time he slept, he went through the first time he had launched it again. The power, the presence he had been too naïve to understand, the exhilaration as he put it into his launcher...  
  
The sense of doubt, worry and fear that had come into his mind a moment too late. The sheer terror as the dark phoenix broke free of its blade, the helplessness when it overwhelmed him and went on rampage.  
  
The dread as the Abbey fell to pieces around him, the smell of smoke, the sounds of people screaming. And the way his heart stopped, just before he fainted, as Black Dranzer had turned to look at him, its eyes piercing into his very soul.  
  
And then there was the feeling he could never get rid of.  
  
The feeling of being tainted.  
  
Ray watched his friend as he continued to glare at the ceiling. His eyes were glazed over, and Ray couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. His garnet eyes seemed to be shining with a look of helplessness, regret, sorrow, and other things he couldn't understand.  
  
The dark-haired teen wanted nothing more than to help Kai, but it was like Kai wasn't there anymore. He didn't seem to be aware of anything outside his own thoughts.  
  
The moment was broken when the others came back in and Max, who had evidently consumed some sugar filled product, sat at the end of the bed and promptly began to jump on it.  
  
The force caused the bed to lurch, and Kai to be shaken out of his musings as his many wounds were shook in ways that caused immense pain. He gritted his teeth in an attempt to stop from crying out.  
  
"Max!" The blonde stopped jumping and looked first at Ray who was glaring at him, then at Kai.  
  
He smiled sheepishly, "Uh, sorry Kai. It was just you two seemed so serious, I just needed to do something about it!"  
  
Kai sent a well-aimed glare in Max's direction, shifting slightly into a more comfortable position. "Hnn."  
  
Max faltered under Kai's gaze, "Hey, come on Kai, don't be like that. I'm sorry, okay?"  
  
"Ah, ignore the sourpuss, Max. He wouldn't be happy in a million years."  
  
A cough from the doorway, "Forgive me for interrupting," They all turned to see a young looking nurse standing in the doorway. Apparently Kai had scared off the doctor for good, "But its time you left, visiting hours are about to finish."  
  
The four of them looked at each other, then shrugged and got up, walking to the door, "See ya Kai, we'll visit again tomorrow." And with that, they left.  
  
The nurse smiled kindly at Kai, turning off the light and closing the door in an attempt to make him sleep.  
  
Like that would happen.  
  
Kai couldn't contain a yawn, he was tired, yes, exhaustingly so, but he refused to sleep, refused to return to the nightmares. He stared up at the ceiling; he could just make it out in the darkness of the room.  
  
It was a different darkness to the one he found in his dreams. The latter was cold, full of hatred, evil thoughts and bad memories. This one seemed to be a gentle darkness, promising to protect him, wrapping around him and coaxing him to rest.  
  
But appearances were deceiving, and darkness was all the same. It was like him.  
  
Tainted. He had been tainted the moment he had seen Black Dranzer, unable to resist the spell it had cast over him. He had condemned himself the moment he had touched it, witnessed its power for himself. He couldn't make himself pure again, and the darkness Black Dranzer had bestowed upon him would never leave.  
  
Condemned, soiled, stained, cast into the darkness, but, above all, tainted. Not just by Black Dranzer, but by Boris, every punch, kick, slap and whip mark. By his blood, because the same blood that flowed through his veins was in Voltaire's. Every touch they bestowed upon him left him unclean, soiled.   
  
Lost in his train of self-pity, Kai wasn't aware that his eyes had closed and he was slowly drifted back off the sleep. In fact, he wasn't aware until he suddenly found himself back in the cell he had been in the day before. Hands, once again, tied together, as were his ankles, he could barely balance. He blinked in confusion, before Boris' silhouette appeared in the doorway.  
  
A dark chuckle reached Kai's ears, and then he saw a flash of silver before a dagger had embedded itself into his shoulder. Kai's eyes widened, and a strangled gasp torn out of his throat.  
  
This, apparently, was all the encouragement that was needed, because the dagger was suddenly twisted from where it was in his shoulder. Tears of pain crept to the corners of Kai's eyes, and he couldn't help but let out a short scream.  
  
The blade was abruptly ripped out of his shoulder, leaving him with a immense pain. But that pain was forgotten as the knife slashed at his stomach, as if the _thing_ in front of him meant to disembowel him.  
  
Kai fell to his knees, and he impulsively held out his bound hands to try and stop himself. A steel-toed boot connected with his wrist as his hands were placed on the ground.  
  
Kai fell face forward onto the bloodstained ground below him, rolling slightly so that he was on his side. He could see Boris' feet as one lashed out at the side of his head.  
  
The two-tone haired blader slide backward with the force, his back making contact with the wall behind him. His eyes were unfocused by the tears, which he could no longer stop from slipping out the sides of his face. He wasn't sure how long he'd been here, but it may as well have been an eternity. The only reason he knew it couldn't have been more than a few days was because he hadn't been given any food or water since he got here, and he was still alive.  
  
If you could call this living.  
  
He heard his cell door close, and the sound of Boris' footsteps echoed through the hall as the got fainter and fainter.  
  
Letting out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding, Kai allowed himself to relax slightly. He tried to ignore the pain that wracked his body, but gave up within a few moments.  
  
Besides, the pain was a lot easier to put up with than the feeling of helplessness that threatened to overwhelm him.  
  
***  
  
Kai's eyes shot open, and he began panting, as if he had just been running a 5km sprint. Seeing a white ceiling above him through the gloom, Kai suddenly remembered where he was, and forced himself to relax.  
  
Ignore the pain that went through his body at the action, Kai sat up, besides, the pain was barely a dull throb now.  
  
Looking around the darkened room, a single thought wafted through Kai's tormented mind, 'I wonder if I can get coffee around here...?' 


	14. Bribed

TT: Yeah yeah, I know, more coffee at the end of the last chapter. Its just that I figure Kai would have been addicted to the stuff by now.  
  
Kai: _WHY_ must you poeple insist on encouraging her?  
  
TT: *hits Kai over the head* Be nice!  
  
Kai: I don't do nice.  
  
TT: -_- big surprise there... Anyway, I updated again! Aren't you happy! ^^  
  
Kai: NO!!  
  
TT: I told you to be nice... T_T  
  
Kai: *crosses arms* whatever.  
  
TT: Oh, and to Syaoran-Lover I say; thanks for saying I got the tainted aspect right, I wasn't sure how well I did on that. and to Elves of the Moon, yeah, I know its a strange title...  
  
Kai: But she's too braindead to think of a better one. And she's too lazy.   
  
TT: *glares at Kai*  
  
Kai: *sends a 3rd degree deathglare back*  
  
TT: *whimpers and ducks, turning attention back to readers* Anyway, I suppose this is a chapter that links the events in the last one to the events in the next one, so sorry if it seems so boring. AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!!!  
  
Kai: And the disclaimer; TT owns no beyblade what-so-ever.  
  
TT: *gasps* not true! *huggles her new beyblade DVD (volume 10 ^^)*  
  
Kai: -_-'' Except that DVD.  
  
TT: ^__^  
  
***  
  
"Two broken ribs, another fractured, a great many cuts that we think we made by a knife, a badly sprained ankle, a broken wrist- he won't be able to beyblade for quite a while, and a great deal more, less serious injuries." The doctor explained to the old man in front of him.  
  
Mr. Dickinson nodded, "Is that all, or is there anything else I should be informed of?"  
  
The doctor turned the sheet of paper over, "Kai Hiwatari is was seriously dehydrated when he was brought in, but he's alright now. He's also malnourished and quite underweight, he refuses to sleep- that makes the recovery process longer and more difficult, and we also found... well, we're not quite sure. We found _something_ poking out of his neck and attached to his brainstem. We're not sure what it is or if it can be removed yet." The doctor handed an X-Ray with the chip in display to Mr. Dickinson.  
  
The old man frowned, as he looked over the X-Ray, before handing it back to the doctor, "I'll ask him and his teammates about it."  
  
***  
  
"Do you think Kai will be happy to see us today? He wasn't exactly delighted yesterday."  
  
"Well _maybe_ that's because Max nearly threw him out of the bed he was in when he jumped on it."  
  
"Hey! Lay off Chief, I said I was sorry."  
  
"In any case, guys, we should still see Kai and give him our support. I'm sure he's glad we're there, even if he doesn't show it. I mean, it gets pretty boring when you're stuck in the hospital."  
  
"Hey yeah! Remember the glare he gave that doctor when he suggested we leave?" Tyson grinned at the memory, which seemed so amusing all of a sudden, "Hey, do you think Kai will let me eat his food, if he's not hungry, again?"  
  
"Tyson!"  
  
"What, I'm just asking."  
  
The teammate paused at who they saw as they walked into the hospital, surprised to see who was talking to a doctor in front of them.   
  
Tyson was the one who broke the silence. "Mr. Dickinson?!"  
  
Their team manager turned and smiled at them, "Well, hello there boys. Here to see how Kai is doing too?"  
  
Ray nodded, "Uh, yeah."  
  
Tyson was looking around almost warily, "My grandpa isn't here too, is he?"  
  
The stout man gave a laugh, "Oh no, don't worry about that."  
  
The doctor tapped Mr. Dickinson on the shoulder, "The patient is in room #59 down that hall." He pointed with an arm and walked off after being thanked.  
  
Mr. Dickinson turned to the BladeBreakers, "Well, shall we go see Kai, then?"  
  
***  
  
Kai was, once again, staring at the ceiling, because he was, apparently, not allowed to get out of the bed. He had been about to, but a nurse had come in with a tray and promptly scolded him in the same fashion a mother would.  
  
Not that he had a mother to know this sort of thing.  
  
Voices came from the hall, getting louder as they got closer, Kai recognized them instantly. He sighed, turning his head to look at the door. He was bored, yes, bored to the extent that he was almost asleep- almost- but was he really _that_ bored?  
  
"Hey Kai!" Tyson was the first through the door, and the weakened blader groaned, closing his eyes and looking away as the rest filed in.  
  
Which was why he was so surprised to find that Mr. Dickinson was there. In fact, he didn't know until the old man spoke, "Well Kai, how are you feeling?"  
  
Kai didn't answer; only turning his head to look at Mr. Dickinson to show he'd even heard him.  
  
"Hey Kai, aren't you hungry?" Tyson was staring longingly at the tray of food.  
  
"You can have it, Tyson."  
  
Before Tyson could grab the plate, however, Mr. Dickinson spoke again, "Now Kai, I don't think you should be allowing Tyson the eat your meals. According to what your doctor has told me, you haven't been eating enough as it is."  
  
Kai scowled, having never liked being told what to do. "I'm not hungry."  
  
However, Mr. Dickinson's statement had caused the others to think back as well. "How can you not be hungry, Kai?" Ray asked suspiciously, "Tyson ate all your food yesterday, and I doubt you had anything when Boris kidnapped you."  
  
"I'm still not hungry." It wasn't exactly true, he was hungry, but at the same time, he didn't think he'd be able to keep food down, and he had a paranoid little feeling that it would be far too easy to slip crushed glass into food...  
  
"And we don't buy that."  
  
Kai raised an eyebrow at the suddenly serious expression on Tyson's face. "Whatever."  
  
"Come on, Kai. At least eat a little." Ray persisted.  
  
Kai didn't say anything, but glared at the amber-eyed teen.  
  
Tyson, by some miracle, came up with a compromise that he knew Kai wouldn't refuse, well, he hoped he wouldn't refuse. "Tell you what, Kai. If you eat, even just a little of your food, we'll leave you alone tomorrow and train instead."  
  
"You should be training, regardless."  
  
"But we won't and you're in no condition to stop us." Tyson grinned smugly as Kai's scowl deepened.  
  
Kai growled, "Fine!" Ignoring to triumphant grins his team shared, Kai took a small forkful of the strange substance the hospital called food and forced it into his mouth, glaring darkly.  
  
Kai chewed forcefully before swallowing, allowing the food to slide down into his stomach, which almost immediately gave him the urge to bring it back up, having been without food for so long.  
  
Kai looked at Tyson, "There, I've eaten, happy now?  
  
"Aren't you still hungry?"  
  
"...No." Okay, so that was a lie. Sure, he still felt as if he were about to be sick, but at the same time, his stomach was now demanding more food.  
  
Tyson gave him a disbelieving look, but found it best not to push Kai anymore. "Sure."  
  
Kai lay his head back on the pillow, suddenly finding himself very sleepy. He was vaguely aware of a nurse standing in the doorway, asking his so-called 'guests to come with her for a moment because the doctor wanted to speak with them, before he suddenly found himself falling into the familiar darkness of his nightmarish sleep.  
  
***  
  
Ray looked at Kai, surprised to find he had fallen asleep. He turned to the nurse, mouth open to speak and pointing at his friend, but she spoke first.  
  
"Oh, did he actually eat something?" She was a bright and cheerful young woman, and there was delight in her voice, "He told me he wasn't hungry... The doctor told me to put some sleeping pills in his food. I guess they worked." She turned her attention back to the rest of the BladeBreakers and their manager, "Now, will you please come with me, the doctor wishes to speak with you."  
  
Ray looked at the others, "You guys go, I'll stay here with Kai in case he wakes up again."  
  
Knowing the great likelihood of Kai reawakening, the others nodded and followed the nurse out of the room.  
  
Lying on the bed, face pale and contorted with imaginary pain, Kai let out a small whimper. 


	15. Seeking Answers

TT: YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^________________^  
  
Kai: This can't be good.  
  
TT: I'VE GOT 200 REVIEWS!!!! THANK YOU ALL SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!  
  
Kai: ...So this means more torture for me?  
  
TT: Yep! ^__^ Thank you, everyone who reviewed!!! ^^ *hands out Kai plushies*  
  
Kai: What did I do to deserve any of this?  
  
TT: *ignores Kai* Oh, and Kiina, Menthol? Because you asked, I have no problem with you making fun of my story.  
  
Kai: Can we just get this over with already?  
  
TT: Okay, everyone, because you gave me 200 reviews and all, I'm giving you an EXTRA LONG chappie! ^__^ ENJOY!!!  
  
Kai: You have NO idea how happy I am she doesn't own beyblade.  
  
***  
  
Tyson, Max and Kenny followed the two adults into the doctor's office. The doctor sat down and looked at them. "Boys, we need to know what happened to get you're friend into such a condition. And we also need to know if you know about the object attached to his brainstem, it was found when we were X-Raying for any possible serious head injuries." He let them look at the X-Ray that showed the chip. "We need you to tell us everything you know."  
  
The three teens looked at each other, before Kenny started, "Well..."  
  
***  
  
An inky blackness swirled around him, grabbing at him and casting him into its shadow. Almost solid, Kai could actually feel it, a cold and slimy feeling against his skin, it seemed to be trying to hold him down.  
  
The blackness moved away suddenly, retreating to corners he hadn't known were there. The shadows that had been trying to bind him molded into a shadow around him, a clear plastic cylinder. Wires were suddenly attached to his body and forehead, and he found himself floating in a liquid.  
  
Kai forced his eyes open, staring at the scientists from behind the wall. He remembered this, they were monitoring his progress, from physical attributes to mental improvements.  
  
And once they were done...  
  
Kai looked beyond the scientists and their computers, sure enough, a familiar masked man was standing in the doorway, smirking at him. Kai froze, his breathing hitched and his heart skipped a beat as their gazes met.  
  
The liquid drained out of the tube, leaving Kai standing wet and shivering as the tube itself slid away into the roof. The wires were removed and his shirt and scarf given back, which Kai put back on without hesitation.  
  
Boris motioned for the young Kai to follow him as he disappeared through the doorway. Knowing that it would be, possibly, less painful if he just did as he was ordered, the child reluctantly followed.  
  
Kai tried to stay as far away from Boris as possible as he was led through the many hauntingly familiar passages. A door closed behind him as he was taken into an empty room.  
  
Garnet eyes searched the gloom desperately, but found nothing. Kai felt his heart speed up, where could he possibly have gone?  
  
A slight sound behind him. Kai spun around, and found Boris leering down at him, his yellow teeth grinning evilly. Despite himself, Kai let out a slight whimper at the look on his mentor's face.  
  
A slight blur appeared in front of his vision before he was sent reeling backward by a powerful punch to his jaw. The child touched the bruised area gingerly, watching Boris with both fear and suspicion. After all, this could only get worse.  
  
A kick in the stomach, followed by a punch that sent him crashing to the floor, and then a hard kick to the head. Pain exploded through Kai's body, he saw stars briefly as agony wracked through him.  
  
Then it faded...  
  
A new scene appeared, Kai was older than 5 again, and he found himself staring at the same dark blade, bound by chains. A foreign entity invaded his mind, and for a moment Kai felt as if his head were about to explode. He wanted to clutch at his pounding head, to yell and scream at whatever it was to get out of his head, but he couldn't.  
  
Suddenly, within his own mind, Kai was flung backward, no longer in control of himself. In his mind, a pair of dark eyes, eyes radiating with evil intentions, pieced through him.  
  
He watched, helpless, as, though not by his own will, he picked up the beyblade, and held it in his hand.  
  
And Kai could only watch through his eyes as Black Dranzer took complete control of his body. He could only scream, for him to stop, in the recesses of his head as the All Starz's bitbeasts were taken, then the White Tigers...  
  
Kai could only sob within his own head, willing for it all to stop, as he watched the dark blade triumphed over the blades of his teammates.  
  
Once again, everything faded, and for a single moment, he was left staring through the inky blackness once more.  
  
Then a new shape began to form- himself, half in shadow. Literally. Molded, bounding with the shadows around half his body. The shadows having taken the consistency of molten rubber.  
  
The shadows began to cover the rest of the... what was it, a reflection? Until the second image of Kai was a physical representation of the real Kai's soul.  
  
Tainted beyond redemption.  
  
***  
  
Ray looked anxiously over at Kai, who was whimpering and moaning in distress in his sleep. Ray was almost certain that he could see tears caught in the weakened blader's eyelashes, and Kai kept whispering illegible things in his sleep.  
  
Ray was torn, on one hand; Kai was getting the sleep he'd been lacking for so long, on the other hand, how could one call _this_ sleep?!  
  
Remembering what had happened last time he had woken Kai, Ray forced himself to wait for the nightmare to wear itself out. Hoping that this solution would prove to be more effective than the last.  
  
Out of the quiet sounds came a few- barely- understandable words, Ray leant forward, straining his ears to hear. "No... Stop, no more... Please... Get out... Black Dranzer... Boris" Kai's breathing hitched for a moment, before whispering something as he let out a shuddering breath, "...Grandfather..."  
  
Ray watched as, all at once, Kai's mask moved back into place, giving him an unreadable expression even in his uneasy sleep. The teen frowned, trying to piece together what Kai had said.  
  
"Okay Ray, lets work this out," Talking to himself, he went about working out what had been said, "Kai was acting as if he was in pain... Then he seemed to be begging someone about something... And he mentioned some names... Lets see, he said something about Black Dranzer..." Ray couldn't contain a shudder at the memory of the evil bitbeast. "And there was Boris," A scowl crossed Ray's features, "And, did he say something about his grandfather?"  
  
Suddenly looking enlightened as he put the pieces together, Ray glanced at his sleeping friend. Kai's brow was creased slightly, but otherwise he remained emotionless.  
  
With a slight sigh, Ray turned towards the door, waiting for the others to return.  
  
***  
  
"...And that's the whole story." Kenny finished finally. They had just finished going over the entire story, leaving both adults appearing stunned and horrified.  
  
Shaking his head, the doctor mumbled an excuse for having to go, leaving Mr. Dickinson and the three beybladers alone.  
  
The team manager looked at the three, "Now boys, is there anything else- anything else at all- that you need to tell me about this?"  
  
The three teens looked at each other, before Kenny spoke, "Kai was having nightmares not long ago, and he hasn't been sleeping well since. We think that the chip we told you about has something to do with it."  
  
Tyson took the opportunity to speak as well, "Can't we get the chip out, or something?! I doubt Kai likes having it their either."  
  
Kenny sighed at his teammate, "Weren't you listening to what the doctor told us he found out about the chip, Tyson? It's attached to Kai's _brainstem_, its not likely it _can_ be removed."  
  
"Wha?! What do you mean?! Why not?!"  
  
Kenny sighed, and began to explain, "The brainstem is the part of the brain that sends and receives messages from the spine. Any damage done to it would result in Kai being paralyzed or even worse." Kenny didn't elaborate. He didn't even want to consider the option of Kai dying.  
  
Tyson's expression changed from annoyed and confused to upset and worried in record time. Unable to think of a suitable answer, Tyson came up with the most commonly used, "Oh..."  
  
"So there's nothing we can do?" Max asked mournfully.  
  
Kenny lowered his head, not sure how to answer the question.  
  
Tyson sighed, before trying to look optimistic, "Come on, lets go and see if the sourpuss is awake or not."  
  
***  
  
A blade was lightly run diagonally across Kai's chest, leaving a long stinging cut, blood dripping from it.  
  
Kai clutched his teeth together, trying to refrain from crying out. It would only get worse if he did.  
  
The knife ran across the cut again, and then harder a third time. The blade paused as the boy took a sharp intake of breath, before it was removed from his chest and rammed into his arm.  
  
As the knife was twisted from where it was lodged in his arm, Kai couldn't help but scream.  
  
Red eyes, full of panic, opened suddenly as Kai sat up with a gasp. Greeted with a pair of amber eyes staring at him in concern, Kai let his emotionless mask fall into place. They stared at each other, one in concern, one in annoyance, as Kai's panting breathes slowly returned to normal.  
  
Finally, Ray spoke, "Kai, are you alright?" He was greeted by silence, so continued, "It was another of your nightmares, wasn't it?"  
  
Kai turned away, stubbornly refusing to meet his teammate's gaze.  
  
"Kai, talk to me. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."  
  
Still Kai didn't say anything. What was there to say? Hadn't he already shown enough weakness to his team without displaying any more?  
  
"Was Boris in it?" Ray knew he'd hit a nerve when Kai's head shot up and the crimson-eyed blader glared at him. "He was, wasn't he? What were you dreaming of, Kai? Was it what happened when you were in the abbey?"  
  
Kai was silent, but tensed at the question. Ray opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by a set of voices coming from the other side of the door. The door opened and Tyson walked through, followed by Max and Kenny.  
  
"Kai! You're awake again." Tyson grinned cheerfully at the blader sitting in the bed,  
  
Kai glared at them, but was secretly relieved they ended the conversation by entering when they had. "Shouldn't you be training?"  
  
Tyson laughed nervously, "Hey, come on Kai, give us a break. We said we'd train _tomorrow_."  
  
"You still need to train."  
  
"And we will. Just not right now."  
  
Any possible reply from Kai was interrupted as Mr. Dickinson entering the room. "Kai, I just spoke with your doctor, and he says you'll be able to leave within a few weeks."  
  
Kai felt his spirits lift slightly- the sooner he was out of here, the sooner he could make sure the others stopped slacking off and started training again.  
  
"But you won't be able to BeyBlade again until that wrist completely heals, and that will be quite a while."  
  
A scowl appeared on Kai's face at this comment. Not BeyBlade? What was he supposed to do with his time?  
  
"Hey Kai, we've got to go now- visiting hours are almost up." The Chief explained as they got to their feet.  
  
"Yeah, we'll see you tomorrow, buddy!"  
  
Kai scowled at Tyson, "No you won't, you'll be training."  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot. Well, see ya."  
  
Ray was the last to leave, pausing for a moment as he stood up, "I forgot to give this too you yesterday." He put Dranzer's blade in Kai's hand.  
  
Kai's hand grasped the familiar blade tightly as Ray left the room, before he opened his hand to examine it. He smiled slightly at the phoenix 'Dranzer...' 


	16. Remembering

TT: Wow, Nearly a whole week of school, and I manage to finish one chapter!  
  
Kai: They'd better get used to it, you go on that 10-day camp in 5 days.  
  
TT: Don't remind me... T_T No computer, no internet, NO FANFICTION!!! HOW WILL I SURVIVE?!  
  
Kai: Knowing you, you'll break your leg first day, then come home and spend 10 days writing chapters.  
  
TT: I wish! And sorry if I took a while updated, I have writers block... T_T  
  
Kai: Do you get the chip out yet?  
  
TT: As soon as I think of a decent way for them to get rid of it... Anyone have any ideas?  
  
Kai: Anyone have any ideas on how to get me out of here?  
  
TT: I've told you before, be nice. Or I'll do something really mean to you!  
  
Kai: You're going to anyway.  
  
TT: ...Well, yeah...  
  
Kai: Thats enough from you, can we get this over with?  
  
TT: Yeah yeah. Okay everyone, remember to REVIEW!!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: ...One day, we fans shall take over the world, make Tyson chubby again, give Max back his sugar, put Kai's scarf back on, and THEN we shall own beyblade!!!  
  
***  
  
Kai was sitting, legs crossed, on his bed, holding his beyblade in his good hand. An almost nonexistent smile was on his face as he ran a finger down the familiar crevices in the blade. It wasn't cold; in fact it was almost pleasantly warm in his grasp.  
  
It made him feel reassured that everything would turn out alright, if nothing else.  
  
Kai sighed and looked up from where he sat. He never thought he'd say it, but it was so boring, he almost wished the BladeBreakers were there... Almost.  
  
Still, at least they were actually training. Well, he hoped they were.  
  
Kai got to his feet, ignoring to pain it sent shooting up his injured knees, and walked to the window, staring out it mournfully. What he really wanted to be doing now was beyblading, to get all the confused thoughts out of his mind. He was always to think best when he was blading...  
  
And he was still bored.  
  
Deciding that the view wasn't worth the pain in his ankle, Kai walked back to the bed and collapsed on it, lying on his back. Garnet eyes closed themselves, as the feeling of exhaustion, that he had been pushing back so long, made itself known in full force. His limbs felt heavy, and he couldn't seem to open his eyes. Bordering on the edge of asleep and awake, the vivid nightmares kept him struggling, but it seemed to be in vain.  
  
Unable to stay awake, Kai couldn't stop himself from falling into the darkness.  
  
***  
  
The scene was a new one to his nightmares. There was ice, snow, and more ice. An entire lake of ice, in fact, and he was standing in the center. A helicopter landed nearby, and three familiar bladers climbed out.  
  
Kai wasn't sure how to react as they ran over, but as he heard his own voice without even speaking, he realized he wasn't in control over his own body. He tried to move, only to find himself thrown back within his mind as he his a black wall. A cold, dark presence made itself known.  
  
Watching through eyes he had no power of, Kai watched as himself and the three BladeBreaker's argued. But he couldn't seem to here their words, only the faint sound of their voices, as if listening from under water.  
  
Evidently, during his musing, the argument had come to a close. Now all of them were aiming their beyblades. Kai once again tried to fight the dark mist that kept him captive, only to find his struggles were in vain.  
  
The four beyblades were released. The hit the ice, almost simultaneously, and span towards one another.  
  
Kai could hear a dark, gloating chuckling in his ears as the blades clashed, then span away from each other in different directions. The laughter only grew louder as, one by one, the beyblades were tossed aside ad forgotten.  
  
Kai sank to his knees in the darkness, clutching his ears as the chuckling grew to laughter, ringing in his ears. He closed his eyes, trying vainly to will it to stop. Yet he could still watch, helpless, as the ones he had come to regard as teammates, were vanquished. He could only stare at their expressions as their bitbeasts were threatened to be taken away.  
  
And still there was the laughter.  
  
Then the laughter stopped in surprise as a blonde suddenly fell from the sky, parachute open. There was a slight sense of nervousness as the new beyblade was released- Black Dranzer _had_ had the time to slow down...  
  
The nervous changes to panic as the beyblades clash, neither winning. Kai could only watch, hoping that by some sheer, dumb luck, Max would actually win.  
  
A new blur streaks past, attacking the dark blade. At the same moment, the mist lifts, just slightly, as if focusing on doing something other than keeping Kai trapped inside his own mind.  
  
With the darkness loosing its grip over him, Kai felt a new resolve to struggle through it, as if by sheer dumb chance he could break free.  
  
Suddenly, the beyblade fell. And at the same time, Kai felt himself regain control of his body. Picking up the blade, Kai remembered how the mess had started, by the desire to be perfect, implanted in him by his grandfather long ago. It suddenly seemed so stupid.  
  
Inside his mind, Kai saw the red eyes glare hatefully at him once more, before it faded all together.  
  
All that was left was the shadows left over, the shadows that left him tainted.  
  
Darkness fell, and he was met with the mirror image again. The same face he saw in the mirror every day, half molded to the darkness itself. From the remaining half of the body, blood fell, dripping off before it turned to shadows.  
  
Then the darkness consumed him completely.  
  
***  
  
Dark crimson eyes opened, shining with some forgotten expression of emotion. He could hear voices talking outside his door. Well, some were talking, but one was yelling. Loudly.  
  
"Really?! That's great! How?!" It sounded as if it were Tyson. Vaguely, Kai remembered the boy promising to train today...  
  
"Tyson! Let him finish!" And that sounded like Kenny...  
  
"Now, if you will just let me through, I really must see my patient. I can explain it too you later."  
  
"But I don't want to know later! I want to know-" What Tyson was about to say was cut off when Kai, in impatience, got up and walked to the door, opening it.  
  
The BladeBreakers, Mr. Dickinson, and Kai's doctor were all standing outside the door. They turned to him in surprise as the door was opened.  
  
The doctor was the first to recover, "You get back to bed! You're ankle will never heal if you continue to walk on it like that!"  
  
Ignoring him, Kai glared at his teammates, "You're supposed to be training."  
  
Tyson laughed nervously, "Aww, come on Kai! We _have_ been training, we're just taking a break and decided to see you."  
  
"I thought the deal was that you _didn't_ come to see me today."  
  
"Well, yeah but-"  
  
  
  
The doctor cut off any more comments, by pushing Kai roughly back to the bed and making him sit down.  
  
"So what were you talking about?" The glare sent to doctor stopped him from even considering lying.  
  
"Ah, yes, well... Yesterday, I had a small discussion with your teammates with the object attached to your brainstem." Kai's hand flew up to the back of his neck almost defensively, "And we think we may know of a way to remove it." 


	17. Options

Kai: *shivering in a corner*  
  
TT: What's with you?  
  
Kai: Scary... Lee, Ice-Queen... Sleeping... WITH ME!!!  
  
TT: Ooohhh... *thinks for a minute* Don't worry! Just stay here with me all the time!  
  
Kai: I'm so glad you're going away...  
  
TT: NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-  
  
Kai: Why are you so upset?  
  
TT: -OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!  
  
Kai: *has gone deaf*  
  
TT: I have to go on school camp... T_T Ten days, in the wilderness, without computer or fanfiction. *bursts into tears*  
  
Kai: *can't hear her, so ignores her* TT has decided what to do for the -terrible, stupid, turtorous- fic.  
  
TT: Awww, but Kai, people love it _because_ its torturous!  
  
Kai: You need a life.  
  
TT: *coughs* anyway, that you for the suggestions! ^_^ 'Specially x_shadow-x, I'm using you're idea, so thankies!  
  
Kai: WHY do yo encourage her?!  
  
TT: This will be the last update for about a fortnight... T_T  
  
Kai: ^___^  
  
Ray: You really hate her, don't you?  
  
TT: RAY!!! *Glomps the neko*  
  
Kai: I thought you escaped.  
  
Ray: FLB (Freaky Little Brat/Brother) looked me in a closet.  
  
TT: *gasps* He didn't!  
  
Ray: *picking mothballs out of hair*  
  
TT: *wields battleaxe* Onward- TO KILL THE FLB!!!  
  
Kai: I'm out of here.  
  
Ice-Queen: *is the distance* KAI!!!  
  
Kai: EPP! No I'm not. *hides in closet*  
  
Ray: Since Kai and TT are busy, I'm stuck with the disclaimer: TT owns nothing, not beyblade, not Ice-Queen, not me, Kai, FLB or the plot.  
  
TT: HEY!! I own that!  
  
Ray: Oh yeah! ^^;; My mistake. I meant to say 'or the latest plot idea' x-shadow-x owns that  
  
TT: FIC TIME!!!  
  
***  
  
Kai stared at the doctor, remove the chip? How? What would he have to do? A thousand questions flooded into Kai's mind. Keeping his face black, and his voice monotone, Kai urged him to continue, "Elaborate."  
  
Clearing his throat, the doctor began to explain, "It's quite a dangerous procedure, I'll admit... However..." He cleared his throat again, this time in nervousness, "We would send a series of electric impulses through you're spine, dislodging the chip. Then we would be able to operate, cut open you're neck and surgically remove the item." He looked decidedly nervous, "Of course, it is a very dangerous operation, and there is a lot that could go wrong..." He didn't bother to explain the consequences.  
  
Kai nodded thoughtfully as he went over this in his mind. On the plus side, he'd get rid of the chip and, hopefully, the nightmares. But on the other hand, he didn't need to doctor's information to know this was a dangerous operation. He knew enough about anatomy to be aware that if something happened to his brainstem, he could loose the use of his limbs, or even lose his life.  
  
On the other hand, however, if he didn't get rid of the chip somehow, he'd continue to show weakness in front of his team.  
  
The choice was pretty obvious.  
  
"I'll leave you now, and think about it carefully before deciding." The doctor walked out, leaving Kai with Mr. Dickinson and the BladeBreakers. He paused in the doorway, "Oh, and I expect you to get some sleep later, or we'll have to sedate you."  
  
Tyson looked at where the doctor had been, then back at Kai, "Do you think he was joking."  
  
Ray shrugged, "I don't know Tyson, he looked pretty serious to me."  
  
"Yeah, but still!"  
  
Kai continued to ignore them, playing over the possible outcomes of the offered operation in his head. It was dangerous, he had to admit, but he didn't really see any other option.  
  
"Hey Kai! You haven't eaten anything!" Tyson was looking at the plate of food, drooling slightly.  
  
Kai winched at the sigh of Tyson, "Like I'd eat anything after last time..." He trailed off to mutter something in Russian about the nurses, no doubt something impolite.  
  
"Then you won't mind if I eat it for you." Tyson began to feast before Kai could reply. The others just blinked as the food disappeared within seconds.  
  
"Did the nurse put sleeping pills in you're food again, Kai?" Kai shrugged at Ray's question.  
  
"Its not like they'd tell me if they-" he was cut off as Tyson gave a loud yawn, slumping forward sleepily.  
  
"I guess they did..."  
  
Ray looked at the nearly asleep Tyson, then back at Kai, "Guess we have to go now. We'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"No you won't you'll be catching up on the training you were _supposed_ to do today."  
  
Ray sweatdropped slightly, "Okay, we'll visit you later..." He turned to their manager, "Mr. Dickinson, can you give us a lift back?"  
  
The old man nodded, "Of course." He then turned to Kai, "Now get some rest Kai, or you'll never recover."  
  
"Hnn."   
  
"See ya Kai!" Max waved cheerfully as he helped Ray carry Tyson out. Kai waited until their footsteps had faded before he exhaled.  
  
Kai sat cross-legged on the bed, holding Dranzer tightly in his palm, running a thumb over the bit-chip. "I don't know, Dranzer. Is it worth it?" He wasn't sure if Dranzer would answer, but the familiar practice of relaying all his troubles to the bit-beast made him feel better. "I just want to forget again, but its like no one will let me..."  
  
Sighing to himself, Kai lay down on the bed, hands under his head, still talking quietly to the phoenix. "I never wanted any of this, Dranzer. But I figured there was no other choice... I just want to forget, pretend it never existed. I think I preferred it when I couldn't remember my past." He closed his eyes, "I just want it all to stop." A bitter smile crossed his features, "I guess that nothing will ever go my way, huh?"  
  
He couldn't see, but he could still feel the bit-chip grow warm and glow under his fingertips. It was reassuring, knowing that, even after everything that had come between them, Dranzer was still there for him. He smiled slightly at the thought.  
  
'Guess I'll go through with the operation. It could be worse, I mean, I might have been stuck with no options, or needing a donor for a piece of brainstem of something.' An image of Tyson, hooked up to a table somewhere, having a part of his brainstem removed entered his mind, causing Kai to smirk.  
  
Eyes still closed, Kai allowed his tense muscles to relax. He wanted to believe that the suggested operation would work, that he would be able to sleep without fear again. He was sick of showing weakness in front of his teammates; it was against everything he had ever believed. He was sick of Boris and his grandfather still haunting him, even after all these years. He was sick of remembering all these things, all the things that had happened to him, making him what he was, what Voltaire had wanted him to be.  
  
And he was getting sick of the taste of coffee, too...  
  
With a sudden surge of determination, he pressed the call button by his bed. A nurse seemed to appear from nowhere into the doorway.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Can you get the doctor? I need to speak with him." The nurse hesitated for a moment, before nodding her head.  
  
The doctor walked into the doorway after a few moments, "Yes?"  
  
"I've made up my mind, just get rid of the stupid chip." 


	18. The Operation

TT: *Crawls to the computer, lies her head on her keyboard and begins to fall asleep*  
  
Kai: -_-'' Well, She's only been back 25 and a half hours, and she's already spent one and a half on a new chapter, so I hope you people are happy!  
  
Ray: Where was she the rest of the time?  
  
Kai: Well, why _you_ were having that catnap, she spent 5 hours soaking in a spa, 1 at a reasurant, half an hour convincing her parents to take her to the resuarant, and the rest of the time sleeping.  
  
TT: *apprutly wakes up* Well, you spend ten days getting to bed at midnight, sleeping on rock-covered grounf with only a plastic sheet between you and the rain, then waking up just before dawn every morning!  
  
Kai: Aren't you exaggerating a little bit?  
  
TT: Okay, so it didn't rain while I was out there... But there _was_ dew!  
  
Ray: And then you hiked, how far, in ten days?  
  
TT: 50 km... uphil... T_T I HATE CAMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *blinks* Ray! You're back!  
  
Ray: I escaped when Ice-Queen fell asleep... It wasn't very nice, leaving me there with her, you know.  
  
TT: *ignoring Ray, and reading all the fanfics she's missed out on while she's been gone...* OMG!!! Jedi Princess Clarrisani FINISHED ECLIPSE!!! ^_^  
  
Kai: She needs a life.  
  
TT: FANFICTION IS MY LIFE!!!  
  
Kai: Which is why she'll never own beyblade, because if she did she would have given it fanfiction.net in exchange for the right to have a fanfiction.net convention in Australia...  
  
TT: *blinks* Hey! Thats a good idea!  
  
Ray: Now you've done it!  
  
***  
  
The operation began at 10:30 the next morning. It was supposed to start at 10, but it took them half an hour to convince Kai that, no, there was nothing but sleeping gas in the gas cylinder and, yes, they were sure about that. Evidently the prospect of getting rid of the chip hadn't made Kai any less paranoid.  
  
The BladeBreakers were currently outside the operating theatre as 'project anti-chip', as Tyson was so eager to dub it, began. Kenny was typing on Dizzi, Max was waiting somewhat impatiently- jumping to his feet whenever a nurse walked by, Ray was reading a magazine, trying to keep himself calm, and Tyson was having his hundred-and-tenth trip to the snack machine down the hall.  
  
Nurses wandered in and out of the theatre every so often, making them all look up with anticipation. Though they all, or mostly all, seemed to have cool exteriors, they were all tightly coiled springs, waiting with impatience.  
  
Max sighed, his hands fidgeting in his lap as he glanced up at the clock again for the hundredth or so time in five minutes.  
  
"Calm down, Max, it's only been an hour." The Chief looked up from the laptop for a moment as he spoke.  
  
"But Chief..." Max whined.  
  
"Kenny's right." Ray interrupted, "There's nothing we can do except wait, anyway."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose..." Max sighed, looking at the ground.  
  
"I wish I knew how it was going in there, though."  
  
"We all do, Tyson, we all do."  
  
***  
  
The doctor furrowed his brow as he carefully began to trace the line he would cut. Cut too far deep and he'd hit the brainstem, not cut far enough and he'd knock the chip into a worse position than before...  
  
It was a relief that the first half of the operation was finished. Whether or not it was a success, however, was impossible to tell without opening up the neck to check.  
  
Swallowing hard, the doctor cut a 60-degree corner, pushing the scalpel carefully into the soft flesh that had previously been protected by a scarf.  
  
Still poking out of the skin, the chip was gently removed from where it was now sitting on top of the brainstem, as the skin was peeled back. The doctor couldn't hold in a sigh of relief, so far, so good.  
  
Using a pair of tweezers, the chip was ever-so slowly pulled from the sensitive flesh, blood quickly mopped up before it hit the brainstem. The doctor examined the part of the brain carefully. There was a slight hole where the chip had been, but there was no way of telling how serious it was.  
  
Taking a needle and thread from one of the nurses, he began to carefully sew up the cut.  
  
***  
  
Kai was currently, once again, trapped in memories. Seeming to be aged about 5; he was sitting in a dark, dank cell, chained to the ground. The smell of blood was overpowered only by the smell of the stale dankness he was forever surrounded by.  
  
Dark crimson eyes strained through the darkness, trying vainly to see something, _anything_ other than the continuous darkness that bound him tighter than any chain.  
  
The young Kai was curled up in a ball, arms around his legs and chip resting on his knees in exhaustion, blood loss did do that to people.  
  
The punishment had been for not paying attention during training, but he honestly hadn't been able to help himself. He hadn't been able to focus, no matter how hard he tried.  
  
His thoughts had just shifted back to Black Dranzer, to the way it had seemed to cry out to him from the moment it was first launched. It was as if it had honed in on him.  
  
Even now, he could feel it reaching for him, calling for him. It invaded his thoughts, ever trying to lure him closer to it.  
  
And Kai found himself unable to resist the dark phoenix's call. It had bound him, continuously pulling at him as it screamed for freedom. To set its power free.  
  
And its offer in return, an offer of unspoken power, was simply too much for the youngster to resist.  
  
From in between two blood-coated stones in the wall, Kai pulled out a lock pick, and set to work...  
  
***  
  
"Well, how is he?" The doctor looked at the four boys standing in front of him, desperation on all their features.  
  
"The operation was a success, but we won't know if there was any mental damage until he wakes up... If he wakes up." The last bit was a mumble to himself, but the teens heard it.  
  
"Hey! What do you mean, if?!" The boy wearing a baseball cap demanded.  
  
Not sure what else to do, the doctor began to explain, "The procedure was very difficult, because of where the chip was located. The hole created by the chip, now that it is no longer being filled, could either heal over or send him into a coma, there's no way of telling."  
  
There was silence as this information was processed, and horror began to pass over their faces.  
  
"Why didn't you mention any of this _before_ he chose to have to operation?!"  
  
"We weren't aware of how deeply the chip had been imbedded into the brainstem, it wasn't a calculated factor."  
  
The BladeBreakers stared at the doctor in disbelief, finally, Ray spoke, "When will he wake up?"  
  
"If he does at all? Probably in the next few weeks."  
  
"Can we see him?"  
  
The doctor nodded, and gave them directions for a room. He had barely finished speaking before they dashed off, sprinting to find their friend.  
  
***  
  
The black beyblade was practically vibrating with pure, dark power as it was placed in the launcher. The young Kai felt only exhilaration, anticipation, longing for it.  
  
The older Kai felt dread, pure and horrified dread. He was screaming at his younger counterpart, to stop while he still could. He was screaming at himself to stop, to wake up, so that he wouldn't have to watch this again.  
  
But, at the same time, he didn't want to wake up. Because, if he woke up, he'd have to face reality again, and have to go back to remembering things he wished had never happened.  
  
Oh sure, he had to remember them here, too. But here, no one else could see his weakness, no one else could touch him, hurt him.   
  
If he went back, he'd have to go back to wearing the masks, to being strong, emotionless, of hiding.  
  
And he was so sick of hiding.  
  
So long as he remained in the darkness, no one could hurt him but himself.  
  
The ripcord was pulled, the dark beyblade was unleashed. Kai screamed in anguish, trying to will the images in front of him away.  
  
But had to same time he was fighting to stop the memories, he was fighting himself not to wake up.  
  
Black Dranzer tore away from any control Kai might have had over it, using him instead. The abbey, once again, began to fall around him.  
  
And Kai embraced the tainted darkness that claimed him. 


	19. Hiding

TT: Yeah, I wrote another chappie.  
  
Kai: What is it with you're brain at the moment.  
  
TT: *shrugs*  
  
Kai: I'm not going to wake up, am I?  
  
TT: Hmm... *thinks, then grins smugly* I think I'll wing that part! ^^;;  
  
Kai: o_o;; Help...  
  
TT: No! You'll have Ice-Queen here again!  
  
Kai: *freezes* No! Not her!  
  
TT: Anyway... Thank you all for the reviews! ^^ Is much apperiated. *nods* I'm not quite sure where I was going in this chapter-  
  
Kai: Yes you do, it was purely for Kai-Torture.  
  
TT: Oh yeah... Heh, anyway, humor me if its strange, my minds been wierd since that camp...  
  
Kai: It wasn't before?  
  
TT: Oh, alright, 'wierder'... -_-'  
  
Kai: And quit encouraging her! It just makes her write, and then I don't get a break!  
  
TT: Ignore the blue-haired bishie. Anyway, I won't waste you're time any more.  
  
Kai: Isn't this fic a waste of time?  
  
TT: Oh, be quite for a bit!  
  
Kai: Just get it over with, I want to leave as soon as possible.  
  
Disclaimer: The day I burn down the park I had to go camping in, is the day I will own beyblade... Anyone have a flamethrower?  
  
***  
  
Max, Tyson, Ray and Kenny ran through the halls to the room where Kai was, completely ignoring at annoyed glances that were sent their way.  
  
The four of them didn't even pause to breathe as they barged through the door, tumbling into the room. Kai lay on his back on the bed, his breathing slow and regular, surrounded by machines. A heart monitor beeped somewhere in the fray, to only sound as they stared at their teammate.  
  
His expression was black, almost relaxed, but his brows were furrowed slightly, almost in some form of distress. The triangles were still in place, and the four vaguely wondered why they weren't washed off during the operation.  
  
Then, Tyson found his voice, "Kai!" He ran over to the bed. Kai didn't stir, there was no indication whatsoever that he had even heard him. "Kai, wake up! C'mon, this isn't funny."  
  
"Easy Tyson, you can't make him wake up before he's ready."  
  
"I know, Kenny, but... Come on, Kai! Don't do this to us!"  
  
***  
  
Barely five, the younger version of Kai winched as he touched the tattoos that were now of his face, they still hurt unbelievably. The words Boris had practically marked in with the tattoos echoed in his head, "You are untouchable, emotionless, without weakness. All others are beneath you, not worth you're time. May these marks always remind you that letting people get close is nothing but a weakness that must be wiped out."  
  
Boris had sent him back to his grandfather for a few weeks, so that Voltaire could inspect his progress, or so he had been told.  
  
Currently, his pale skin was covered in large dark bluish blotches and long, red cuts, blood still seeping from a few of the worse wounds. There were times he'd rather be in the abbey.  
  
At least in the abbey, they kept him in a good enough condition to use a beyblade. With his grandfather, he was expected to ignore the pain that sent him into unconsciousness and still launch.  
  
But, when he thought about it, the punishments in the abbey had been becoming steadily worse over the last few months as well.  
  
The youngster looked up as his grandfather suddenly appeared in the doorway. Kai didn't have time to work out what was going on before a hand held him up by the throat, cutting off his air supply.  
  
Kai choked, turning blue and, on pure instinct, clawed desperately at the hand against his windpipe. His crimson eyes closed tightly as he focused on not submitting to the dark haze at the edge of his vision.  
  
He was suddenly reintroduced with the ability to breath again, only to have the wind knocked out of him as his head made contact with a wall. The child fell roughly to the floor, head hanging slightly.  
  
Inwardly, Kai whimpered as his grandfather approached him. What had he done to make him so made this time?  
  
Kai pushed himself to his feet, trying hard not to fall back over. Voltaire's eyes narrowed, and a sharp kick hit his abdomen. Kai let out a choked sound, bringing one hand to his stomach, the other out in front of him as he fell back onto his knees again.  
  
A foot stepped on his hand, which made a cracking noise as more pressure was applied, "Haven't I told you before? I will not tolerate weakness!"  
  
Kai said nothing, gritting his teeth together as the bones in his fingers began to crack, he closed his eyes tightly.  
  
"Kai!" Crimson eyes opened in surprise. The vision of Voltaire standing over him dispersed back into darkness as a new voice was heard. It was... familiar, but Kai couldn't work out where from. "Kai, wake up! C'mon, this isn't funny."  
  
"Easy Tyson, you can't make him wake up before he's ready." Tyson... Kai strained his memory, and was able to put a face to the name. Was that who was talking to him before.  
  
"I know, Kenny, but... Come on, Kai! Don't do this to us!" Kenny, Kai knew him too. Yes, he recognized the voices now. The voices of the ones who were his teammates.  
  
But...  
  
They wanted him to wake up?  
  
No, that couldn't be right. They'd hated him, he was sure of it. He was cruel, emotionless Kai, the 'sourpuss' as Tyson had so adequately named him. If anything, they would be celebrating he wasn't there, surely.  
  
Oh, sure, they'd had that act, acting as if Kai was their friend. But that couldn't be right, Kai was Kai, he had no friends. He wasn't supposed to.  
  
How many times had Voltaire and Boris beaten that fact into his head- literally? Enough times for him to know it must be true.  
  
Besides, even if they _did_, for some bizarre reason, want him back, he couldn't face them. Not after having shown so much weakness, he just couldn't now that they would have lost any respect they might have had for him.  
  
If he woke up, he'd have to see them again, the pity in their eyes, the way they would see him as some weak and fragile creature. The illusion he'd formed over himself over time would have been shattered. He couldn't take that; he couldn't take them seeing him vulnerable, weak. It would only come back to hurt him.  
  
"Kai... Wake up... Please..."  
  
Kai paused at the sound of the voice, almost as if contemplating, then he answered, even though he knew the others couldn't hear him, "No..." 


	20. In The Darkness

TT: O_O  
  
Kai: *pokes* I think she's in shock...  
  
TT: O_O  
  
Kai: ... *begins to poke her some more*  
  
TT: O_O  
  
Kai: ... *still poking*  
  
TT: O_O  
  
Kai: Alright, this is getting ridiculas... -_-'  
  
TT: O_O  
  
Kai: *yelling* ICE-QUEEN'S BACK!! AND SHE BROUGHT FRIENDS!!!  
  
TT: *snaps out of her shock* AAHHH!!!  
  
Kai: At least you're consious again.  
  
TT: *glares, then grins and glomps Kai* =^_______^=  
  
Kai: O_O *goes into shock himself*  
  
TT: IIIIIIIII'VVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE GGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTT 300+ RRRRREEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Kai: O_O *has gone deaf*  
  
TT: THANK YOU ALL SOOOOO MUCH!!!! ^___^ I never ever DREAMED i'd get 300 reviews for anything!  
  
Kai: *is being forced to hand out Kai, Ray, Dranzer and Drigger plushies with bows around their necks to reviewers*  
  
TT: THANK YOU ALL!!!! And fear not, because you all want it so much, KAI SHALL WAKE UP!!!  
  
Kai: Oh good, that means you can't torture me for much longer... right?  
  
TT: ... *whistles innocently*  
  
Kai: O_O  
  
TT: But, Kai's not going to wake up this chapter. Nope, he'll wake up in the next one... hopefully...  
  
Kai: WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'HOPEFULLY'?!? YOU'RE WRITING THE FIC!!!  
  
TT: Do not upset the authoress, Kai. I would have thought you knew by now, I hold power over you're destiny.  
  
Kai: ... eeeppp...  
  
TT: Now get back to handing out plushies! You've got 300+ reviews to get through!  
  
Disclaimer: They wouldn't let me get on the bus with the flamethrower... Then they rang the mental hospital and had the flamethrower taken away... *cries*  
  
***  
  
36 hours had gone by, and still there was no sign that Kai was going to wake up.  
  
The BladeBreaker's had stayed by his bedside the first day, but had needed to go home when visiting hours ended, and then Kenny insisted they got some training in because, with or without Kai, they did have to enter the tournament.  
  
Though none of them spoke much of it, it was fairly obvious they were all worried about their teammate. Whenever the phone rang, they all looked up in hopes the hospital might be calling them. At mealtimes, even Tyson was eating less, though granted, not by much.  
  
It was almost ironic how the one who had tried to hardest to keep his distance from them left the biggest vacuum when he wasn't there.  
  
"Man, I never guessed things would be so dull without the sourpuss."  
  
"He's left a lasting impression, though. I mean, he's not here, and you've still cut down to only 3 helpings a meal!"  
  
"Aww man! No wonder I'm still hungry."  
  
The others sweat dropped as Tyson rushed back to the buffet.  
  
***  
  
The endless chant, made up of a thousand monotone voices, droned on. The words had lost all meaning long ago, now it was just a phrase recited by instinct. They didn't think about what they were saying anymore, the meaning behind them long since etched into the darkest corners of their minds.  
  
Garnet eyes looked up at Boris, emotionless mask in place. Why he'd been called to see Boris, Kai wasn't sure. It wasn't like he'd done anything wrong, lately, had he? He'd done everything he'd been told to, won every battle he'd been challenged to, so what had he done now?  
  
From behind the mask, Boris smirked, and kicked the 7-year-old in the face. Kai went flying, crashing into the ground. There was a slight pause before Kai gritted his teeth and pushed himself up.  
  
A silver glint, and the blade of a long sharp dagger sliced across his chest, leaving a thin, red line in its wake.  
  
Kai looked up at the knife-wielding monster, and couldn't contain the whimper that escaped his throat.  
  
Still the chant droned on...  
  
The scene faded, and Kai, his proper age, sat- or was it floated?- in the darkness again, curled into a ball. His head was resting on his knees as he began to ponder.  
  
Why did he have to continue relieving this? Hadn't the chip been removed? Or had it just started something that was impossible to stop...  
  
A sigh, he just wanted to forget everything. But, for some reason, he couldn't. He couldn't even push the memories back into the corner of his mind as he had been doing for so long.  
  
A part of him longed to wake up again, but a greater part refused to even consider the option. His pride, or what was left of it, wouldn't allow him to see the sympathetic glances, or worse- the looks of disgust, of his team. They'd already seen him when he was weak, thus loose all respect for him, and he didn't think he could bear having to see the result.  
  
No, leaving was not an option. Whatever caused these dreams to remain, that's all they were, dreams of the past. They'd happened before, he'd lived through them once, he could endure them again.  
  
He had to.  
  
***  
  
"Still nothing?"  
  
"No, the doctor said he's still showed no signs of waking up." Kenny sighed.  
  
Tyson looked over at the unconscious BladeBreaker, "Come on Kai, don't do this to us. Wake up already!"  
  
"Tyson, calm down. You don't even know if Kai can hear you. And if he can, its not like he can respond."  
  
"Yeah, but... What if he doesn't wake up at all, like the doctor said?"  
  
"I know, Tyson. I'm just as worried as you are, but screaming isn't going to help."  
  
"You're right..." Tyson sighed in defeat, turning towards the door, "I'm gonna get something to eat..."  
  
The rest of the team looked at each other helplessly, glancing at Kai before following.  
  
Ray, however, stayed behind, sitting next to his fallen teammate. "Kai... I don't know if you can hear me, but you've got to pull through. We need you."  
  
***  
  
Kai was floating in the dark abyss again, listening, almost reluctantly, as his teammates talked to him. 'Why are they even wasting their time with me?'  
  
There was quiet now, had the others left? It wasn't really that surprising for him, everyone left him eventually...  
  
"Kai..." The garnet eyed teen froze in mid-thought at the sound of the voice. 'That sounds like Ray...'  
  
"I don't know if you can hear me, but you've got to pull through."  
  
'Why? What's the point? You're better off without the 'sourpuss' hanging around.'  
  
"We need you."  
  
The statement left Kai confused, they needed him? No, that couldn't be right. Sure, maybe they thought they'd needed him once, but that was when they'd seen him as the strong, emotionless blader. Now, now they'd seen the weakness behind it, and they didn't need that sort of weakness.  
  
No, the statement couldn't be true, it just couldn't. He was hearing things, yes, that was it. He was fooling himself into hearing what he wanted to hear. That had to be it, there couldn't be any other explanation...  
  
Now, if only he could ignore that small voice that was whispering "Liar..." 


	21. Wakening

TT: Hi all! *ducks as an agry mob of Kai Lovers throws flaming objects at all* WAIT!! WAIT!! WAAAIIIIITTTTTT!!!!!!!  
  
Crickets: chirp... chirp...  
  
TT: As promised, in this chapter, KAI WILL WAKE UP!!!  
  
Kai: Let me guess, because Ice-Queen threatened you?  
  
TT: No, actually, its because my dad is making me wake you up. He says all the emails from the reviewers are clogging up our connection time.  
  
Kai: So, no more nightmares?  
  
TT: ^-^;; Probably not. I might make up one more, as a finale.  
  
Kai: You have no idea what you're going to do next, do you?  
  
TT: ^^;; Nope!  
  
Kai: -_-' Help me...  
  
TT: Anyway, thank you all for your reviews! ^__^ It makes me VERY happy! And I apologise for the delay... I've been sick... *sniffles*  
  
Kai: *edges away from TT* just get this over and done with.  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned beyblade, do you really think V-force would exist?  
  
***  
  
There was silence, for which Kai was actually quite grateful. He hadn't really enjoyed it when he knew his teammates were there, he hated them seeing him like this, so weak...  
  
The older Kai was snapped out of his musing as his grandfather stopped ranting to his younger counterpart, which, of course, resulted in a sudden punch in the face.  
  
Winching as blood ran down his face, garnet eyes stared up at Voltaire, desperately trying not to show emotion.  
  
A large hand roughly grabbed him at the throat, holding him tightly as he was lifted off the ground. Nails dug into the soft skin of his neck, droplets of blood entering the welts around them.  
  
Kai choked and thrashed, the desperate need to breathe over riding his sense of logic as he clawed vainly at the hand that held him.  
  
The edges of his vision had started to go black, and he was unprepared for when he was abruptly flung headfirst into the nearby wall.  
  
For a moment, as Kai lay on the ground, he saw stars. Then he focused himself enough to push himself to his knees, whereon he had to pause, lest he collapsed again.  
  
Voltaire, unimpressed by the display of weakness, stormed over and brought his foot down of Kai's back, causing him to crash into the ground again. Glaring at the boy, Voltaire applied more pressure, taking the breath out of Kai.  
  
Practically choking, Kai coughed and spluttered, as he frantically tried to wriggle out from under his grandfather.  
  
Just when he thought he was about to loose consciousness, the scene changed. Instead of his grandfather, Kai found he standing, surrounded by icy cold, black flames, in front of him stood the terrifying dark creature that haunted his nightmares, its sinister gaze staring right into Kai's soul.  
  
The darkness leapt up to meet him, consuming him, and Kai could do nothing to stop it, transfixed and frozen by Black Dranzer's glare.  
  
Inwardly, Kai let out a scream.  
  
***  
  
"First Kai doesn't sleep, then he won't wake up! I wish he'd make up his mind..."  
  
"It's been two days now. How much longer is he going to be like this?"  
  
"You heard the doctor, Max, if he wakes up at all, it will probably be in the next week or so."  
  
The usually cheerful blonde sighed; evidently the condition of his friend had gotten to him.  
  
"Come on, guys, we've still got to train, Kai or no Kai."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose..." Tyson sighed, "Buts it just not the same without the sourpuss..." He paused as he realized something, "Hey, where's Ray?"  
  
***  
  
"Kai, I don't know if you can hear me, but, if you can, please, listen..." The memories in front of Kai disappeared as he focused on Ray's voice.  
  
'What's he doing here? Why hasn't he left me to rot, yet?'  
  
"Kai, I know you're upset about those nightmares you keep having. And I know they must be memories from your past."  
  
'Of course I'm upset about them! I've showed weakness in front of you, in front of all of you! I've lost any respect you and the others might have had for me, now...'  
  
"But Kai, its nothing to be ashamed of. We know you've had a rough life, we don't expect you to be strong all the time."  
  
'...?'  
  
"Please Kai, listen to me. We don't care about your past, and you can't feel weak about what happened. If any of us had gone through what you have, we'd be worse off than you! You're strong Kai, unbelievably strong. And... We _need_ you Kai, we need you here."  
  
Kai frowned, contemplating what Ray had just said, mostly so that he could ignore the new memory trying to play in his mind. Ray had sounded so desperate, so despairing. Was it possible that Ray was just a really convincing actor, or did he really miss him?  
  
"Kai, you've got to believe me, we don't care about how weak you see yourself, your still the same person to us, and if anything we think you're stronger than we did before... Please Kai... Wake up..."  
  
Kai contemplated, he wasn't sure how or why, but he believed Ray. With a new determination, he fought against the darkness.  
  
***  
  
"Ray." The black haired teenager turned from where he sat next to Kai's bed to find his teammates standing there, each bearing a face similar to his own despairing one. "Come on, Ray, we have to go."  
  
Nodding, Ray reluctantly got up, walking to the doorway.  
  
A slight moan made him stop in his tracks.  
  
***  
  
The first thing Kai was aware of was that he hurt.  
  
A lot.  
  
Then he became aware of other things, the voices of his teammates for one. Kai tried to move, but found he couldn't. It was as if his body were made of lead, he simply didn't have the energy to move.  
  
Kai tried to open his eyes, but it were as if they were welded shut.  
  
Inwardly frowning, Kai continued to try and pry his eyes open. His brow creased for a moment, before, with slight sound of discomfort at the bright light, garnet eyes opened to the world again.  
  
"KAI!!!" 


	22. Conclusion

Kai: *ducks thrown object* TT says she's sorry it took to long to finish this chapter, and that its so short, but she had trouble-  
  
TT: *crushed under a giant boulder* ...help...  
  
Kai: In other words, she has writer's block -_-''  
  
TT: @_@ ... *still crushed*  
  
Kai: *reading a script* 'She worked hard, despite the fact that she had all her end-of-year-tests to worry about and came up with this. She apologises in advance for it being so terrible, but, she tried!'  
  
TT: *nods franctically* Uh huh!  
  
Kai: *hides behind the boulder* She also thinks this will be the last chapter of Coffee Break *hides as people throw bricks*, but she's considering doing the outtakes, if she came think of enough.  
  
TT: If you have any... put in reviews... Ow...  
  
Kai: And she wants to thank everyone who reviewed, and apologises profoundly for the delay. 'Specially to Sakura, because she went and sent emails reminding her, so evidently she likes to fic a lot.  
  
TT: Help... please...  
  
Kai: *ignores TT* Last chapter?! No more torture! ^____________^  
  
TT: @_@  
  
Kai: And whatever you do, don't send reviews! *looks fearful* she might get ideas!  
  
Disclaimer: If TT owned beyblade, she wouldn't be being crushed with a boulder.  
  
TT: *croaks* owie...  
  
***  
  
"Kai! You're awake!"  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"How do you feel?"  
  
"I can't believe it! You're actually awake! This is awesome!"  
  
"I'll go tell the doctor!" Kenny ran off, leaving Kai at the mercy of the rest of the, suddenly hyper and cheerful, bladers.  
  
"Kai! You don't know how glad we are that you're finally awake!"  
  
"You've been unconscious three days, Kai. We were worried."  
  
The crimson-eyed blader blinked in confusion, sitting up, still being bombarded by yells and questions from his team.  
  
"Do you know how worried you had us?"  
  
"He awake! He's awake! He's awake!"  
  
"This is great! You finally woke up!"  
  
Kai moaned softly, rubbing his forehead at the headache that was rapidly forming.  
  
"Ahem." They all turned to find the doctor standing in the doorway. "Its nice to see you're awake, Kai, but if your friends would please leave, I need to run some tests."  
  
"Aww man, already?" Tyson asked. The doctor nodded. Heaving a sigh, the Tyson led the BladeBreaker's out of the room; pausing in the doorway, "See ya tomorrow, Kai!"  
  
Kai groaned, slumping deeper into the pillow, less than keen at the prospect.  
  
He looked up to see Ray, the last of his teammates, about to leave. Calling the amber-eyed blader's name, he allowed their eyes to meet briefly as he said one word none of his team ever expected to hear from him, "Ray, thanks."  
  
Ray's brow creased in confusion for a moment before lifting in understanding. Nodding his head slightly, he left the room.  
  
***  
  
After a week of being stuck in the hospital and having to suffer the BladeBreaker's continuous visits, Kai was finally allowed to leave, though he was supposed to take it easy for the next few weeks.  
  
Kai's nightmares had also become less and less frequent after he had woken up, now little more than an unpleasant memory that Kai tried to keep out of his mind.  
  
In other words; everything was more or less back to normal.  
  
"Tyson, get up."  
  
"Mm... five more minutes, grandpa..."  
  
There was a growl, "Now!" followed by a bucket of water being introduced to Tyson.  
  
"Waaahh!!!" Crashed into the floor, where he looked up, groaning, "Ow, my head."  
  
Kai glanced at him. There had been a time when he would have glared, but Kai seemed to have simmered down a little since the whole 'incident'. Not that it meant much. "Training starts in ten minutes."  
  
Tyson glared at the crimson-eyed blader as he left the room, "I almost wish we'd left him unconscious."  
  
***  
  
The rest of the BladeBreaker's had been eating in the kitchen during this little exchange. The radio was on, reporting that the man Boris Balcov had been put under arrest for kidnapping, child abuse and many other serious charges.  
  
He barely looked up, "Training in the minutes." As he walked over, out of habit, to where the coffee maker was kept.  
  
Kai paused for a moment, his mind replaying what he'd gone through because of the caffeinated beverage, before shaking his head and walking over to the fridge, pulling out a coke while mumbling, "That's it, no more coffee for me." 


End file.
